Marauding Dragon: Secrets
by Hamilcar
Summary: Sequel to Marauding Dragon. Ch. 37: Draco finally meets his cousin and learns a bit about the past while worrying about the present.
1. Bittersweet Homecoming

A/N: Before reading this fic, please note that it is a sequel to Marauding Dragon and if you haven't read that, you probably won't understand this. If you have read it, feel free to skip this and read on. If you have not and don't feel like reading a 40+ chapter story at the moment, the CliffNotes version is as follows: Sirius escapes Azkaban, Draco adopts him in dog-form, Sirius saves his life and reveals he's an Animagus, and Draco makes friends with Ginny, Luna, Harry and Theodore Nott. At Hogwarts, an ambitious and slighted Ron goes to Slytherin and pals around with Pansy, Nott and Harry get into Gryffindor and Draco into Hufflepuff. They have some rough times but manage to make friends with the Hufflepuffs, Weasley twins, Hermione and Millicent Bulstrode, reveal Scabbers as Peter Pettigrew and save the Philosopher's Stone. Woohoo! But Nott's father is none too happy about him being in Gryffindor and that's where our story begins…

OOO

Theodore Nott stood in the doorway of the Weasley household, having been dumped there by the Knight Bus, wet to the bone and rather intimidated.

"I'm terribly sorry," Nott coughed and blushed. "I didn't know where else to go or what to do. And Fred and George had said something… I'm sorry, it's a terrible bother, I know, but Harry lives with Muggles and Draco… well his father… you know… I'm so sorry but I was wondering if I could maybe sleep here, just for the night?"

He stood there for only a moment before Mrs. Weasley pulled the bedraggled boy in, shouting for Fred to grab the trunk, for Percy to get towels and blankets and for Ginny to set a pot on the stove for hot chocolate or tea or whatever Theodore would like. Sitting the boy down at the table, she took off the sopping garments while Ginny boiled water.

"Theodore, what is the matter? What is going on, why are you here, dear?" She passed him the mug of Darjeeling that Ginny had seeped and he blew on the surface of the water, allowing the steam to rise into his face.

"My father threw me out," he informed her in a numb voice. Taking a tentative sip of tea, he swallowed then continued. "Well, I suppose that isn't properly true. I ran off after he gave me an ultimatum. Told me that I was going to Durmstrang or would be home-schooled and never leave the house again. Said that he wouldn't suffer a Gryffindor in the family and that I wasn't going back to Hogwarts no matter what." He took another sip of the tea then looked up at Mrs. Weasley. "So I packed a trunk and left." He wrapped his hands around the mug, pensive. "Harry's family hates magic and Draco's father is too close to mine to be safe. Fred and George were the only other ones I could think of at the time. I am terribly sorry, I do realize what an imposition this is, just showing up at your doorstep like this. I'll try to find something else tomorrow, I just needed somewhere for the night, some place he wouldn't look for me or find me."

"Find something else? Nonsense, dear," Molly tutted as she wrapped another comforter around him. "You'll do no such thing. If you need a place to stay you're very welcome to stay here."

"He can share our room if he likes," George spoke up.

"Or we could give him Bill's," Ginny added. "Now that he's got an apartment in London."

"Molly," Mr. Weasley whispered urgently, motioning her over. She left Theo to talk with Ginny and the twins. "Dear, are you sure that this is a wise idea? His father was… _is_ a Death Eater!"

"All the more reason we should be there for him!" She chided. "Who will he go to? The Malfoys? That would be just as bad, perhaps even worse. I'm sure Lucius Malfoy would have no qualms about sending Theodore straight back to his father – and then what? He gets shipped off to Germany or locked up, just because he ended up in the wrong house? Besides, he's a Gryffindor; the hat knows what it's talking about."

"Oh does it?" Arthur replied impatiently. "Then how do you account for Ron?"

"Ron is… this isn't about Ron!" She retorted. "Now that boy is cold, tired and homeless and I don't intend on turning him out!"

"What if his father comes looking for him?" Arthur rejoined doubtfully. "Why can't he just stay at a hotel? Get a room at the Cauldron?"

"Wizarding London is no place for a boy alone, long term. Cut off as he is I doubt he couldn't even afford it. And his father is more likely to be able to force his way in somewhere like that than in our home. He probably doesn't even know who Theodore's friends are."

"I'm sure it won't be too hard to find out," Arthur replied with a sigh. "I understand your sympathies dear; but this boy is from a long standing Slytherin family with a likely Death Eater father. I don't like it, one little bit."

"Well the twins and Ginny trust him, and that's good enough for me." She pulled her housecoat shut and tied the belt that had slipped loose. "The boy stays, dear," she informed her husband with an air of finality, walking back over to Theodore. "Fred and George will take your trunk up to Bill's room and I'll make you up a plate of something. I'm sure you must be starving."

Theo gave her a little nod and glanced over apologetically at Mr. Weasley. For a moment, he looked at the boy as if he were something quite foreign; at a glare from his wife, however, he returned the smile and came over to give Theo a pat of encouragement on his shoulder.

"Our home's not as fancy as I'm sure your father's is," Mr. Weasley told him, "but you're welcome to stay here. Any friend of Fred and George is welcome in our home at any time."

"Thank you sir, ma'am," he told the two Weasley parents. "I'm very grateful. And whatever you need me to help with or do, I'm more than willing to do so. Simply tell me and I'll be glad to help."

"That's sweet dear," Mrs. Weasley set a plate of chicken and potatoes in from of him. "But you just get some rest for now."

From the doorway, Ron watched his parents fuss over Theodore, giving him food and trying to warm him up. At first he'd held out slim hope that his father would put his foot down and throw the git out; he should have known better however. Ginny and the twins were fawning over him to a sickening degree and when he saw his mother give the exhausted Theo a peck on the cheek that was the last straw.

Storming up to his room several stories up, Ron slammed the door and punched the pillow. Bad enough he had to live in a hovel with parents who were more concerned about being touchy-feely than providing what their kids needed. Bad enough that the looks Fred and George gave him made him feel like a stranger in his own home.

Now apparently they'd found a replacement for him. Infuriated, he pulled the blankets over his head and promised himself he would write a letter to Pansy first thing in the morning to see what he should do.

OOO

"And so Harry beat out Cedric and they ended up winning the House Quidditch Cup which is really good because Harry has loads of talent, but Cedric was right behind him and I think that next year we'll have a good chance to win," Draco rambled on as he pulled dirty laundry out of his trunk and piled it up for the house elves to clean. "I know I'm going to try out; I don't think I'll be able to be a Seeker like Harry because Cedric's older and he's really good at it, and I don't think I have the arm strength to be a Beater, but I think I've got a pretty good chance at making one of the two open Chaser positions. I might be a good Keeper to, I don't know I haven't really tried, but our Keeper is a sixth year so she'll be back next year too."

"That's lovely dear," his mother forced a smile. "Draco, love?"

"Yeah Mum?" He looked up at her just as he pulled out an armful of textbooks.

"Your father and I need to talk to you, sweetie." She twisted her wedding band around on her hand, looking off to the side instead of at her son.

"What about?" He stood, setting the books aside on a low shelf. "Is something wrong?"

"I think your father will explain it somewhat better than I could." She motioned him over and guided him out of the room to Lucius' study.

His father was seated in front of the fire in one of the large armchairs, looking intently into the flames. When he heard the steps of his wife and son, he turned around and waved them in. Dragon followed, looking at Lucius with what Narcissa might have sworn was nervousness.

"Sit down son," Lucius directed him to the other armchair. Narcissa stood behind Lucius' chair and Dragon lay at Draco's feet, waiting anxiously for what was to come.

"What's going on?" Draco looked at his two parents, confused. "Have I done something?"

"In a manner, yes," Lucius sighed. "Draco, I heard about your… goings on towards the end of the year. There are whispers that you saw the Dark Lord. That you _fought_ with him." His tone was low and urgent, though not precisely angry.

"Yes, yes I saw him in the woods." Draco shivered a bit at the memory. "He was possessing a teacher… they'd killed a unicorn, he was drinking her blood – I wanted to make him pay for that," he whispered. "She was so beautiful and delicate and he mangled her, blood dripping down his front…"

"Draco!" Lucius rapped his walking stick on the floor. "Draco, a unicorn does not matter!"

"What?" Draco looked at him with a stunned expression.

"Draco, you could have been killed, died – for _what?_ For an over-glorified horse that was already dead? The Dark Lord is not someone to be played with, Draco – he is not someone to be defied." Lucius swallowed. "I accept part of the blame for this. I allowed you to grow up too wildly, become too headstrong, run around with too much freedom. Draco, you are losing sight of what is important."

"But dad, the unicorn…" He tried to find words to convey how deeply the display had offended and disgusted him.

"Forget about the unicorn, Draco! Think about yourself – about your family. The Dark Lord detests disloyalty and if you set yourself against him, you won't be the only one to pay!" Lucius chastised.

"Disloyalty?" Draco looked at him doubtfully. "But I thought… I mean, the record… the trial… you said that… that your were Imperiused…"

"Draco, I did what I had to so that I stay free, that I could care for my family. That's what I have always done and will always do, but I can't do that if you're undercutting me!" Lucius looked at him severely. "I realize that you are still quite young; I did not wish to burden you at such a young age, and your mother didn't either. However, circumstances have made it unavoidable.

"If the Dark Lord is making attempts to return, you are not to get in his way. I am not telling you to abet him; leave that to others who have less to risk than you. That is not what I'm suggesting. But Draco, you must stay out of the way! I've heard rumors about who your friends are – and do you realize how thoroughly upset Mr. Nott is about Theodore's placement? I'm sure he's having a very similar conversation with Theo as we speak.

"You are young, Draco, and haven't seen much of the world. But I assure you that you will see very little of it indeed if you continue to be friends with who you're friends with and behave the way you have been behaving. You are not to stand in the Dark Lords way again, do you understand me?" His tone was severe and his gaze emanated a mixture of distress, fury and concern.

At his feet, Dragon whimpered and Draco could feel his heart sinking.

"Why, though? Dad, Voldemort is _evil_…"

"Don't say that name!" Lucius snapped, harsher than he'd meant. "Draco the Dark Lord is not evil; he is fighting for our rights, to live as we do – weeding out the filth that has infiltrated our world."

"How can you say that Dad?" Draco leaned in. "I know what you say about pure-blood and stuff but it's not true! I see it every day at Hogwarts, kids from Muggle families do just as well…"

"No, Draco!" Lucius snapped again and Narcissa put a restraining hand on his shoulder. "Draco, if they continue to infiltrate they will do to our world what they have done to theirs. They will take away everything we have, give it to the filth that has managed to weasel its way into our society! They understand nothing of our traditions, nothing of true wizards, risk exposure to the rest of the world, dilute the blood lines…

"Look at the way we have to behave, Draco! Look at the way wizards conceal themselves, the way we're forced to hide magic and magical creatures and even our dwellings from those idiot Muggles – _why?_ We are the superior ones, we should be able to move about as we please without concern for such filth, such untalented wastes of life!"

He clutched the sides of his chair and Draco shrank back into his chair. Everything that Sirius had warned about, everything that Sirius disdained was pouring forth from his father's mouth with a frightening vehemence. The crackling fire was the only sound for a long while, until Draco gathered his courage and voiced a question he feared the answer to.

"Dad?" He looked into his father's eyes, grey orbs that matched his own. "Were you – _are_ you – a Death Eater?"

For a moment, Lucius considered lying, worried about what his child would think of him, worried that his own flesh and blood might hate him. The truth would out eventually, however, so he nodded, thinking it better to have the chance to explain why he was a Death Eater and explain the sense of it to Draco.

"Yes, Draco. I have the Dark Mark on my arm. I chose it, son. Chose it for us, for you and your mother." He looked at the fire, then back at Draco. "Our world is in peril, son, and the Dark Lord is the only one who realizes that, who is willing to fight for pureblood rights. He gained much power and if he ever returns will do so again; better to be a part of that than a crushed resistance."

"But he uses people Dad!" Horrified, he looked at his father, not understanding. "He doesn't care about _us_!"

"He rewards loyalty Draco – and punishes disloyalty. I hate to put this upon you, but if you defy him, I do not know how much I can do to protect your mother and you, even myself. Should he return, I can explain it away as childish foolishness if it is only the one incident. But if it becomes a repeated pattern, then everything I have worked for will have been for nothing."

Unable to formulate a response, his head reeling, Draco simply sat there motionless. Narcissa went over and embraced him, trying to offer some sort of reassurance.

"Draco, we're not angry, only concerned," she murmured. "You have to understand. I know you must have had a lot of silly ideals and nonsense pumped into your head at Hogwarts, but that's not the way the world works. Family is all you ever have – and sometimes not even that if your own blood betrays you. We need to stick together, provide a united front, not put one another at risk."

"But what he does… what he can do…"

"The world is an ugly place, Draco," Lucius told him with a note of sympathy. "And sometimes… sometimes people have to do ugly things to protect the ones they care about and get what they need. This house, these grounds, our lifestyle – it has to come from somewhere. We have a tradition to uphold, honor to preserve and protect…"

Pushing away Narcissa with a sudden gesture Draco bolted from the room and ran down the hall, Dragon close on his heels. His parents heard the front door slam shut and Lucius sighed.

"That went exceedingly well, don't you think dear?" He muttered sarcastically.

"Perhaps you should go after him?" She suggested.

With a nod Lucius followed Draco's path down the hall at a brisk pace, leaving Narcissa alone with her thoughts in the study.

OOO

A/N: So the summer looks as though it's off to a rocky start. But no worries – things will get a little bit better. A little bit worse too, but not every chapter will be quite so depressing. Promise. ;) The next chapter will be up before long, so stay tuned and see what happens.


	2. Memory

OOO

Lucius caught up to Draco at the spot where the boy had found Dragon years and years earlier. He was sitting on the turf, looking at the forest, his eyes misty and bloodshot. Pulling up to him, Lucius looked down for a moment, pondering whether or not to risk grass stains on his immaculate robes, before sitting awkwardly next to Draco.

"Draco," he murmured, "I know this is hard for you. But I must help you to understand. We are worth more, Draco – more than Muggles, more than animals, more than half-breeds. I understand your amusement with such things; but it must end there, Draco. The things you truly value must be your family, your blood, your heritage. Those are what will see you through difficulties, help you become a strong and proud man – not playing with beasts or looking up to mudbloods."

His hand resting on Sirius' head, Draco was quiet for a moment before looking at his father.

"What if he had killed me in the woods?"

"He didn't Draco," Lucius replied with a frown. "And that's what's important. You are still alive and well."

"But what _if_? What if he had?" He looked down at the grass. "I know it was dark, but I look just like you. He probably knew who I was. And that didn't stop him. And according to Nott and Harry, he left Quirrell to die or get captured."

"Of course he left Quirrell, Draco!" Lucius sighed, exasperated. "The man was probably another fool – not worth the Dark Lord's time. If you fail then you're just baggage to be tossed aside! Incompetence has no place in the real world."

"But you don't leave friends," Draco pulled at the grass. "And everybody fails sometimes. What if you fail? What if you get punished?"

"I would not fail him, Draco. Never, at least not intentionally."

"But what if? I mean, what if it was an accident but he held you responsible? He killed a unicorn; and even if it was just a horse – he would do anything."

"All of these 'what ifs' are immaterial Draco; all that matters is what actually happens. Everything else is simply useless philosophizing. As for the Dark Lord, sometimes you need somebody who is like that, in order to ensure a victory. Power is kept by the strong, Draco, and the weak only get crushed under foot. I don't wish that to happen to my family and I should hope you wouldn't either. But if you want to keep that from happening, you must side with the one who will win, who can get power and keep it."

"He lost, though!" Draco protested. "To Harry and Nott and Cedric!"

"_Quirrell_ lost," Lucius corrected. "The Dark Lord escaped and you can be sure that he will find a way, if a way exists, to rise again, stronger than before."

Draco did not reply for several moments. Instead, he uprooted more grass in an increasingly agitated fashion before stopping and sighing.

"But I like my friends," he said, sounding deflated.

"You should _love_ your family," Lucius gently replied. "Childhood amusements and attachments are one thing Draco. And they could be tolerated while you were young. But now that you are attracting the Dark Lord's attention, it has really gone too far."

"Am I forbidden to see them?" Draco asked nervously, not specifying a 'them.'

"Would you obey me if I did?" Lucius gave him a skeptical glance.

"Maybe," Draco shrugged.

"I would hope that you would willingly stay away from those likely to attract negative attention and cause trouble, if not due to your own sense of self-preservation then for the honor and well-being of your family."

Having torn a bare patch in the grass, Draco began digging in the dirt with his forefinger. He was blinking hard to keep away what he suspected were tears, telling himself he was too old to cry. He liked Harry, liked Nott; but when he thought about his parents dying at Voldemort's resurrected hands, his heart dropped.

"If he doesn't come back nobody has to get hurt," Draco ventured after he could trust himself to speak again.

"That's possible. But you have seen his power, his tenacity. Do you believe that he can be stopped?" Lucius pointed out.

Shaking a little, Draco thought about the being he'd seen in the forest and the cold, sick dread that had accompanied that sight. Voldemort was unnatural, mutilated, that much Draco could tell; but he was strong too, undeniably so.

Draco threw his arms around his father's neck and buried his face in Lucius' shoulder.

"I don't want you and Mum to die!" He cried out. "But I don't want Harry and Theo to die! I don't want _anybody_ to die!"

Lucius set his hand firmly against the boy's back and held him tightly. "People _do_ die, though, Draco; as cruel as it sounds, that's the way of life. The point is to make sure that you and yours do not, for as long as possible."

"I wish there weren't sides," he muttered, his voice muffled. "I wish it wasn't like this!"

"But there are and you must accept that and choose," Lucius patted his back. Taking his son by the shoulders, he brought him around so he could look at Draco face to face. "Take a good look at the Muggles, son. I know you find some of their… inventions… amusing. But look at them. Look at what they do to the landscape that you seem to love so much, look at what they do to us given the chance – surely you've studied Salem? _That_ is what Muggles are really like. Incompetent, superstitious, stupid, blundering, destroying everything they get their hands on.

"Think about that and ask yourself – what do such creatures deserve? Why should they be the ones in control? They would kill us given half the chance; why shouldn't we reciprocate, assume our place as the stronger race? Yes, some may have to die along the way. And yes, some whom you have a fondness for might stand, unfortunately, in the way. But isn't what we are attempting to create greater than all those sacrifices?"

"And me?" Draco asked softly. "Am I a sacrifice?"

Lucius pulled his son to him and said nothing. After a moment, Lucius let go, his shoulders sagging, and slowly walked away from his son back up to the manor. He did not look behind him, not even when Draco called out to him.

"You could give them a chance," Draco pleaded. "My friends. Maybe you'd like them. Then we wouldn't have to fight, I wouldn't have to…" He broke off and flopped face down in the grass.

"Don't do this to me Draco…" Lucius whispered to himself, walking faster so that the boy wouldn't suspect his anguish.

When he reached the manor he found Narcissa in his study, sitting in one of the chairs and staring into the fire. He walked up to her, knelt next to the chair and covered her hand with his own.

"Dear?" He reached up with his other hand and stroked her hair.

"When I was younger, my cousin Sirius ran away from home." She absently pulled at a string on her sleeve and sighed. "At the time, I wondered how he could do it to his family, to his brother, to his parents. His mother was livid of course, blasted him off the family tapestry. And through it all, I never questioned, never wondered at that." She looked at Lucius, mournful and solemn. "Now I wonder how she could do such a thing to her own son. How she could simply throw him out, cast him off and never speak to him again. What manner of mother does that? And what manner of mother have I been to Draco, driving him away from us?"

"You are a good mother," he insisted. "I should have reined him in; it was nothing you did. But our boy is no Sirius Black. He loves us; he will not turn his back on us. We must believe that."

"If he does?" She asked quietly, looking back at the fire.

Lucius was beginning to detest the word 'if.' "Then we will… we will deal with matters as they occur. Do not trouble your mind with conjectures. We will get through this as we always have."

Narcissa nodded and rose. Lucius stood as well and followed her to the threshold of the door where Narcissa paused.

"I cannot cast him off," she whispered. "Not my own son Lucius. Not my boy."

"It will be alright, dear. Trust me."

"Will it?" She asked and then went down the hallway, leaving Lucius standing alone in the room.

Lucius returned to the chair she had abandoned, setting his hands on its back and gripping the cushioned lining. He had done his best to convince Draco of the severity of the situation. What other options did he have? Hoping that the Dark Lord would stay dead seemed like less of an option and more like wishful thinking. And Draco was internally being torn, that much was clear. As a Hufflepuff he would be loyal; but Lucius wondered what would come of trying to be loyal to too many contradictory causes and beliefs.

Walking over to the bookshelves that lined the walls, he glanced over the bindings until he found a volume in green leather with silver clasps. Pulling it out, he sat down in one of the chairs and opened it on his lap.

Inside were pictures of Draco when he'd been born and the first few years after. They didn't take many photographs; Lucius felt they were too modern and preferred portraits. However, when Draco was born, Narcissa had insisted and they had filled an album with shots of him through his baby years.

Lucius touched the surface of the moving pictures gingerly with his fingertips. In one, Draco was in Narcissa's arms, waving small pudgy fists at the camera. In another he was sleeping in his crib, clutching a small plush dragon that Narcissa had insisted on sewing for him herself. He flipped the pages and watched the boy in the pictures grow older.

About halfway through, he came across an image of Draco taken on his second birthday, his newly washed dog at his feet, his face a mess and split with a grin. He was trying to simultaneously wave at his father and pet his dog, not having much success with either. Finally overcome, Lucius slammed the album shut and replaced it on the shelf, leaned against it and tried to figure out where his own loyalties lie.

OOO

Ginny sat next to the large trunk and watched with interest as Theo took out his possessions one by one.

"What's in the funny box?" She inquired.

"That's a violin case," he replied. "It contains my mother's Amati. You may look at it, but please be careful; it's very old and of high value to me, both as an instrument and personally."

She nodded and opened up the clasps, carefully picking up the bow then replacing it and shutting the box.

"And what are those?" She pointed to a case he'd opened to check on that was full of ornate silver.

"My mother's collection of absinthe spoons. As I remember, she loved their beauty and delicacy." He took one out and showed it to the red-head who nodded.

"It's pretty." She looked at Theo. "You must miss your mum."

"I suppose," he nodded. "She died when I was too young to remember much; these plus a couple of books are really all I have left to remember her by."

"That and your memories," Ginny pointed out.

"True." He took out a stack of books. "But that is unreliable when so many years intervene."

"You could probably find a magical way to bring them back," she pointed out as she flipped through one of the books he'd brought; it was in Italian so she couldn't understand it but it had a lot of interesting pictures. She looked at one of two men looking upon a couple that seemed to be caught up in a whirlwind and read the caption at the bottom, 'Paolo and Francesca.'

"It's possible. But perhaps it is better to let painful memories fall by the wayside." She handed him the book and he placed it, along with all of the others, in a battered bookshelf that sat in a corner of the room. He set the violin in front of it and stood, brushing his robes off, then sat on the bed and went about folding and hanging the clothes he'd brought.

"When you get done, I can show you our garden," Ginny offered. "It's got gnomes in it sometimes and we have to pull them out. Fred and George handle it mostly. And you can see what my dad's working on in the shed." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Mum isn't supposed to know about it though, okay?"

"Oh?" Nott quirked an eyebrow. "What's so secretive about it?"

"She doesn't like it much when he messes with Muggle stuff. Thinks he's going to get himself hurt on of these days. But he loves it. He's got this old car in there and he's trying to get it to work again and add stuff to it, things like that."

"Really, now," he grinned. "Like what?"

"Something to make it fly, make it invisible – things like that." She laughed. "Not sure if it will work, but it would be pretty cool if it did."

"Sounds like a project Draco would attempt. You know, they really should meet, Draco and your father. Draco loves all sorts of Muggle things – television, videos, movies, comics, rock music, the list goes on. They'd probably get along famously."

"I know. If dad didn't throw him out of the house first for being a 'death eater snake in the grass,'" she rolled her eyes and they stood up and went downstairs. "I keep telling him that Ron's the one in Slytherin but he's a bit of a stick in the mud."

"He doesn't seem _that_ bad."

"He's not, once you get used to him. And once he gets used to you. Hang around here long enough, get him to trust you and it'll be like you're one of the family." She winked and pulled out milk while Theo took a pan of cooling brownies off of the side board. Ginny poured them both a glass and Theo cut out a couple brownie squares apiece. "He just needs to figure out that you aren't your father."

"I'm guessing he didn't take Ron's sorting very well then," Theo mentioned hesitantly as he chewed.

Ginny shrugged. "Ron's a prat. Dad keeps saying we should see if he can get resorted, thinks the hat made a mistake. Don't think that's likely though."

"What about your mother?"

"Mum loves him but she doesn't understand how it could happen."

He nodded. "Sorting was a nasty shock for more than one parent," he smiled wryly, "but some seemed to take it better than others." Wiping the crumbs up with a paper towel, he swigged the last of the milk and put the glass in the sink. "So is there a library in the nearby village by chance?"

She nodded. "You want to go there? I don't have anything else to do this afternoon except show you around. Is that where you'd like to go first?"

"I think so." He sighed. "I had to leave behind most of the books in the library I had at my father's house. My trunk is large but it's not _that_ large and I don't know any ways to magically augment the space inside quite yet."

"It's no problem. It's a Muggle library so it's probably a bit limited but I hope it will do."

"That's quite alright; I think I have more than enough on magical theory for now. Somewhere that I can read fiction will be just fine." He pulled on his shoes and then held the door open for her.

"We're going down to the village Mum," Ginny called to her parents who were outside working in the garden.

"Alright, sweetie. Just be careful you don't get too muddy, what with all that rain last night," Mrs. Weasley warned without ever looking up from the plant she was pruning.

"Oh! And Mrs. Weasley," Theo dashed over. "I've been meaning to thank you for the sweater you made me. It was quite lovely and _very_ warm."

"You're welcome Theo." She gave him a small wave as he ran off towards Ginny on the path down to the village.

"You gave him one of your handmade sweaters?" Mr. Weasley asked as soon as the two were out of earshot. "When was this?!"

"Christmastime, naturally," Mrs. Weasley said with a smile as she went back to clipping. "Focus on your weeding dear."

OOO 

A/N: Next chapter will have Harry in it – promise. And be less depressing – I promise that too. ;) As for whether or not it will come out as quickly… probably not. But hope springs eternal.


	3. Work a Change

OOO

As he lay face down in the grass, Draco tried to steady his breathing. He wasn't aware of how much time had passed before Sirius started to lick him, but when he lifted his head his father was out of sight. Lifting himself up, Draco walked wordlessly into the forest until he reached a large, aged oak deep in its darker reaches.

Though he heard Sirius transform, Draco neither looked at nor spoke to him. So Sirius made the first move, sitting next to Draco and putting his hand on his shoulder.

"Draco…" he began.

"I don't want to talk about it!" The boy interrupted sharply. He sat for a few moments before glancing at Sirius. "D'you… Do you reckon my father's ever _killed_ anyone?" He asked

"Well… I mean… I don't really… that's something only Lucius would know," Sirius finished weakly, not wanting to voice his suspicions and upset the boy further.

"You do," Draco stated flatly. "My father's a Death Eater and you think he's a murderer and I don't know, maybe he is…"

"He loves you, Draco," Sirius gently pointed out.

"That only makes it _worse!_" Draco moaned. "When I saw Voldemort, when Harry and the others ran into Quirrell – those were easy decisions. There was no question about who was right and who was wrong and what we should be doing. But this… I don't know what I'm supposed to do, Sirius! I love my father, my mother. I don't want anything to happen to them.

"What if the Dark Lord _does_ come back? What if I get them killed? What if I get Harry killed? Or Theo? Or you? And if I have to pick a side, how do I pick who to hurt?"

Sirius sighed. "To an extent, your father is correct about worrying over 'what ifs.' It's good to plan ahead, but after a certain point worrying only upsets you and does no good." He put his arm around Draco and drew him close. "Despite the events of the past year, Voldemort has not returned, nor is he likely to make another decent attempt anytime soon.

"Even if he does, you're not even a teenager Draco. Do not feel you have to shoulder all of this responsibility or answer all of these questions right this moment. And remember, you cannot blame yourself at any age for doing what you feel is right."

"What about the consequences?" He whispered as he leaned into Sirius' side. "What if my parents die because of what I do?"

"Draco, do not put this all on you. Remember, your parents have choices, just like you do and I do and everybody else. And most of all, remember that if – and I said _if_ – Voldemort did something to them, that is his crime and not yours."

"But I still could have prevented it," he replied morosely. "By not setting myself against him."

"Perhaps," Sirius acknowledged. "But Voldemort was never known to be a particularly balanced figure. While I don't have precise knowledge of his inner workings, there were probably times he killed on whims. It would be difficult to say for certain why a man like him does anything."

Crossing his arms and drawing his legs up to his chest, Draco looked straight forward into the shadowy trees. "It's not fair," he muttered.

"Nothing has happened Draco," Sirius reminded him. "Nobody has died. Nobody is in immediate danger."

"But they will." His voice sounded distant. "In the end. If you live, you're going to die. And it just goes on and on and the world doesn't notice, people and creates and everything living and dying every day and nobody notices…"

"Perhaps you should get some rest," Sirius suggested. "It's been a difficult day. Sleep on it and maybe matters will seem clearer in the morning."

Draco nodded and started to walk back. Sirius transformed into a dog, just in case, and followed him, thinking all the while about the Malfoy's and Draco's predicament.

He didn't want to see the boy fall into the same trap that so many, including Sirius' own brother, had, of hating those unlike them or shrinking away out of fear. Nevertheless, he couldn't help feeling guilty when he heard the Malfoys try to sway Draco. Misguided – to put it lightly – and nasty as they could be to Muggles and those they considered less pure, they did love their son. It was his quiet subversion that had put Draco in this position and he was wondering how much of the fault he bore.

This, he thought, defied his logic that he'd explained to Draco. After all, if it wasn't Draco's fault if his parents got hurt for him deciding to do the right thing, how was it Sirius' fault if the Malfoys got hurt as a result of Sirius' guidance into less prejudicial ways of thinking? Draco was right, however, Sirius realized; fault had little to do with feelings of guilt.

What he really needed, Sirius thought, was time; time to get everything sorted out, time for Draco to figure out where he stood – perhaps even, he admitted grudgingly, time enough to sway Lucius. The elder Malfoy loved his son and while that did not, to Sirius, redeem any of the crimes he'd surely committed in the first war, it made Sirius more sympathetic. And, he'd had to admit, it was more than likely that Lucius had no James Potter, had nothing but his family pouring the same poison into his ear day after day, year after year.

Bucking tradition was not, Sirius had to admit, as ease as he perhaps made it seem. He'd had friends and experiences that other purebloods hadn't. Of course, personal responsibility did still exist; a biased childhood wasn't carte blanche for hatred. In the end, however, even someone like Lucius Malfoy wasn't completely cold-hearted and single-minded.

And if anything could change a person, Sirius thought, love could.

OOO

When Narcissa turned over in the middle of the night, she found her bed to be curiously empty. Getting up, she sought out her husband and found him to still be in his study. This time, however, he was nursing a glass of scotch. When he looked over to her, his eyes were bleary, and she realized that it wasn't his first of the evening.

"Come to bed, dear," she whispered.

"What are we going to do?" He moaned, swirling the alcohol around in the cut glass tumbler. "I mean, we tried. Heaven knows we tried. How did it come to this?"

"I think you've had enough," she murmured and took the glass away.

"I made all these plans," he mumbled. "So many plans. From the moment I knew what it meant to be a Malfoy. What I would be, the manner of woman I would marry, what my life would be like, how I would raise my heir. I had such plans for him, for Draco…" He drew in a breath and looked at his wife. "You know, 'Cissa," he rambled on, "I can remember everything. The first nappy I changed for him – wanting to change it, even though one of the elves could have – the first time he called me 'da,' the first time he spat up on my best robes, the first time he crawled, walked, spoke – _everything_. And it was all different from what I'd expected. But I didn't mind.

"You get such ideas in your head, such plans, and then when things actually happen – when you marry, when you have a child – nothing is like what you intended it to be and it sweeps you away. Without even knowing it you change and… and… And I don't know what to do anymore." He ran a hand through his long, silver-blond locks. "He was so young, the last time. There was no threat of involvement. We were all so self-assured; it was easy to fight when you knew you would win, when you never worried about what coming home might bring."

He rose and walked over to his wife, gripping her by the shoulders. "But he is not back. Not yet. And he might not come back at all. Maybe I was wrong," Lucius said forcefully, trying to convince himself. "We are worrying over nothing. We should just live our lives. Alright?"

"Lucius…"

"We will live our lives!" He insisted. "Draco will be fine." His grip slackened ever so slightly. "I cannot bear to see him unhappy. Every admonishment of disgrace, every swell of anger or indignity – it dies when I see him smile. I cannot understand why he should affect me so; but so he does, and so he always has." He shook his head and looked down. "I could not bear it if he hated me."

"He doesn't hate you," Narcissa assured. "He is merely confused. Give him time, be patient, and he will come around." She pressed a hand against his cheek. "Now come to be; you will feel better in the morning after you get some rest."

Numb, he nodded and followed her, collapsing on the mattress without even changing out of his robes. Narcissa sighed and pulled the covers over him before sliding beneath them herself. Her one consolation in the entire mess was that Draco cared about them.

If any sensibility stood a chance at turning her child away from his imprudent behavior, filial devotion could.

OOO

As Harry lay on his back and looked into the unclouded starry sky, he sighed in utter boredom. The Dursleys were scared to death of him, since they didn't know about the prohibition against practicing magic during the summer. Not being forced to clean and cook for them was a relief but he still didn't have anybody to spend time with. It had barely been a day and already he was missing his friends, longing for something to break up the monotony.

Scanning the skies for any owls that might be headed his way, Harry snapped his fingers. He had Hedwig now, thanks to Hagrid; he didn't need to wait for Artemis to arrive to send a letter. Sprinting up to the spare bedroom, ignoring the shout of Uncle Vernon to stop running through the halls, Harry pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill and began to write.

Hopefully they would reply and tell him how they were doing; better still, they might get a chance to visit one another or even Sirius in the near future, before he went spare from sitting around Privet Drive doing nothing.

Hedwig flew off, the letter to Draco tied to her leg, and as she disappeared into the night he wondered what Draco and Nott were up to.

OOO

Ginny swore she could hear Nott grinding his teeth and he tried to communicate with the woman at the desk.

"No," he replied slowly, "for the last time I am not interested in the children's section, I am not interested in whatever manner of summer reading program you have since I do not need to be bribed to read and I am certainly not interested in being read to, unless what we are reading aloud is something worth the hearing and not a sing-song rendition of _Make Way for Ducklings_! Now if you could please assist me in finding the Eliot anthology I requested, I would be most grateful."

"I'm sorry," she sighed. "We keep the poetry in a separate section from the fiction. But do your parents know what you're reading?" She cast a doubtful eye on him as she stepped out from behind her desk. "I still think this is a bit adult for you."

"I assure you that my father does not care in the slightest and I will have you know that I am merely re-reading," he snapped, beyond the point of impatience. She quirked an eyebrow at him and he sighed. "Just bring me the book, please."

They went to the back of the library where there were a few shelves stocked with poetry and, reaching up, the librarian pulled down a thick volume and held it out reluctantly to Theodore. His eyes locked with hers as he stretched his hands out and grasped the book.

"'_I will show you fear in a handful of dust_,'" he whispered to her then took the book and turned away to where Ginny was waiting.

"Did you get it?"

He nodded. "Took a bit of trying, but I got it." He put it on the counter to get checked out. "Have you ever read Eliot?"

"No," she shook her head. "Is he good?"

Theodore smiled as they walked out of the library. "I will tell you what – I will recite some of it, if you like, and then you can decide for yourself."

"That sounds cool," she grinned, then gasped and clapped her hands together. "You know what we should do? We should have a picnic! I'll have Mum make us up a basket and then we can invite Luna and go out on the hill and read it there! She'd probably like that stuff too."

"Sounds like a plan," he laughed.

The librarian watched them as they left, wondering how they boy had gotten into such works at such a young age; he couldn't have been more than twelve, she was sure. But the way he'd spoken had given her chills and she suspected that he knew more about the meaning and force of the poem than she ever would.

OOO

The next morning, at breakfast, each of the Malfoys ate in silence, trying to avoid any conversation about the previous night. As Draco was passing a few strips of bacon down to Dragon, there was a flapping at the kitchen window and he looked up to see a snowy owl perched on the ledge. Grinning, he stood and let it come inside.

"It's Hedwig!" He told his parents. "Harry's owl." Undoing the letter, he opened it up and read it. "Says here he's deadly bored and wants to know how I'm doing and if we could get together sometime." He looked up at his parents, hesitant but hopeful. "Do you think Harry could come over sometime soon? Like today? Maybe?"

Lucius glanced at Narcissa who gave a little nod and then back at Draco.

"I would have no problem with it. I'm sure he is having a miserable time with those _Muggles_ he lives with," Lucius replied, not subtly insinuating the superiority of the Malfoy household to the Dursley one.

Draco sucked in a breath and nodded. "His family… well, it's not the best," he admitted. Though he didn't want his father to know, the Dursleys were pretty much a text book example of everything that his father faulted in Muggles. Harry had told Draco and Theo more than a few horror stories about how they hated magic and what sort of a childhood Harry had as a result. Admitting all this to his father, though, felt like he was conceding the point to him. It would be hard to convince Lucius that not all Muggles were like that if they were the first fully Muggle family he encountered. "But Harry can come over, right?" He asked again, hoping to shift the conversation from delving into matters of Muggles and wizard superiority.

"Of course, dear," Narcissa affirmed. "You're welcome to bring your friend over."

"It's not… It's not dangerous is it?" He asked in a quiet voice. "You two won't get into trouble? And you wouldn't… you wouldn't… you know," he finished, not wanting to voice his concern – that they might say or worse, do, something to Harry.

"This is still my house," Lucius replied firmly. "And I decide whom to accept as a guest." He took a long drink of Earl Grey. "Your friends are welcome here Draco." He put his cup on its saucer and managed a smile. "Try not to get up to too much mischief, though."

"Do you want one of us to come with you and sidelong apparate with you?" Narcissa asked as she reached for another scone. "I don't suppose they have a Floo port and it will take you forever if you try to go by broom."

"That's ok," Draco replied. "Harry and I like to fly and we both have cloaks and brooms so nobody will see us."

"If you're sure…" Narcissa buttered her pastry. "I worry about you gallivanting all over England like this."

"I'm positive," Draco assured her. "I'll be fine." Finishing the last of his breakfast he made for the stairs to get ready for his trip. "I'll see you guys later, okay?" He called from the upper landing.

"Just be safe dear – and watch for planes!" Narcissa called. Looking back at Lucius, she sighed. "You are sure this is a good idea?"

"If we don't let him see his friends he will only be unhappy and resent us, and that does nobody any good," Lucius replied. "Besides, unless I am mistaken, young Potter hasn't seen what a purely wizarding household is like yet. Let him experience that in contrast to whatever manner of existence he has with those fool Muggles.

"Having a friend of Draco's on our side certainly couldn't hurt."

"Harry Potter though?" She smirked. "Don't you think you're being a bit ambitious, trying to sway a by all accounts foolhardy boy of such strong Gryffindor stock?"

"Although I've graduated, I'm still a Slytherin," he replied, kissing her on the cheek before leaving the breakfast table. "Ambition comes with the territory."

OOO

A/N: So this chapter is a little more cheerful. And that should be the last of the Lucius!angst we see for a while. The next chapter will be something a bit different; rather than being a simply chapter like this one, it will be a series of letters between various characters that will show what's happening between them. And then after that, the picnic and Harry's visit to the Malfoy household to be shortly followed by happenings with Sirius as well as Ron, Pansy, the twins and many others.

Also – I have posted a poll regarding Lucius in my author profile. It may or may not apply to this story – I must keep a few surprises after all – but regardless I would very much appreciate it if you would take a moment to answer it, assuming you have not done so already. Thank you much and I hope that you have enjoyed, and will continue to enjoy, this and future chapters.


	4. Epistolary

OOO

_Pans,_

_You're not gong to believe what I'm about to tell you but seriously, it happened, honest. Theodore Nott is living at my house. Really. Came blundering in about midnight the day we got back from Hogwarts and just made himself at home. Gave us some sob story about his father and just walked right in, free as you please. _

_Mum and Ginny are falling all over him and the twins are too. Even Percy likes him, although I think that's only because Nott's the only one who ever helps him clean off the table or irons and folds the towels. I was hoping my dad would put his foot down but my mum's taken a fancy to Nott for some stupid reason and my dad always listens to her. _

_It's going to be a reaaaaaaally long summer if I have to put up with this the whole time. Any suggestions? Write me back and let me know what you think I should do. Also, how is your summer? I hope the weather is fine for you and that your are enjoying Bath. _

_Your friend,_

_Ron Weasley_

OOO

_Dear Luna,_

_You are cordially invited to a summer tea and poetry reading courtesy of Miss Ginevra Weasley and Mr. Theodore Nott to be held in two day's time. Please RSVP to let us know of your attendance. _

_Doesn't that sound all nice and official? Mum helped me write it. She gave me good paper and let me use her sparkly quill and everything! Lots has happened since everybody got out – Theo's here! He had some problems at home so he's staying with us now. Which means if you come over we can all do stuff together! _

_And you should really come over on Wednesday. Theo's going to be reciting poetry – says it's really good – and Mum is already planning a really great menu. Strawberry lemonade, fruit tarts, chicken, bread and cheese, all sorts of good food! And Draco will be invited too, and Harry if we can figure out a way to get him away from the Muggles he lives with. Theo says they're horrid so Fred and George are thinking about maybe doing something with our dad's Ford Anglia. Don't tell anybody though; if our mum found out, she'd scream something awful. _

_Let me know if you're coming. We both really hope you do, it's going to be a fantastic time! _

_Best, _

_Ginny_

OOO

_Harry,_

_I sent this on ahead with Hedwig because she can get there faster than I can; she's got better stamina and I'm going to want lunch somewhere on the way and I can't exactly eat that on the fly. I wanted to let you know that I got your letter and I'm coming by to pick you up. _

_Throw everything in a bag and get ready; I'll probably be following about an hour or two behind. Make sure your broom is ready too. I don't think your fireplace is connected to the Floo network and it's a bit of a flight back to my house. Don't worry about your aunt and uncle either. I think I can handle them. _

_Oh! Also, just letting you know that I got a letter from Ginny this morning just before I left and we're invited to a picnic over at her place. Theo's there too; apparently something happened and he's living with the Weasley's now. I'm not sure how that's working or what exactly happened and I'll admit I'm a bit worried about it. I guess we'll hear everything from Theo when we go over there. _

_Hope you'll be ready to go when I get there. Mum and Dad are really eager to meet you – bit nervous about that really, but they're not such bad people. Honest. I know you might have heard some stuff about them, but I think you guys will like each other if you give each other a chance. _

_One last thing – Ginny and Luna will be at the picnic. You think we should let them in on Dragon? I feel kinda bad about keeping it from them, especially since the twins know. Besides, it's not going to be that much of a problem before very long. Think about it and let me know what you think I should do when I get there. _

_See you soon! I'll be in Surrey before you know it. _

_Draco_

OOO

_Ginevra,_

_A picnic sounds like a very lovely time. Maybe we can go looking for plimpies after Theo is finished reading! And I'll see if my father will help me make some cookies to take to the picnic. _

_Until we meet, may your days be sunny and your nights star-filled._

_Luna_

OOO

_Ron,_

_You can't even be serious. Your parents replaced you? With Theodore Nott? What a bunch of idiots! You must really have the worst parents in the world. And what's going on with Nott? He got thrown out of his own house? Wait until my father hears about this. I'm sure he can find out from Mr. Nott what really happened. _

_Anyway, I think it's absolutely ridiculous that you have to be in an already over-crowded home with another person who isn't even supposed to live there. I don't believe I could stand it either, not for three days straight. I know summer is a whole lot longer than winter break, but really, taking in another boy like Nott? That's just going to make it worse for you. You should at least be somewhere that you can learn the things you need to know instead of having to work like a servant and put up with insufferable gits. _

_Let me talk to my dad and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Meanwhile, steer clear of Nott, he's nothing but trouble. And if he brings Potter and Malfoy over that goes for them as well. Remember – we're not allowed to use magic over the summer and we'll get into big trouble if we do. Hang around them and I'm sure they'll try to goad you, so stay away for now. _

_I'll talk you to soon, when I can tell you how my summer is going in person. Stand tall and remember – think Slytherin. _

_Sincerely,_

_Pansy Parkinson _

OOO

_Ok, Lee, so we have good news and bad news. _

_The bad news is that mum found our stash again and managed to throw a lot of it out so we'll be starting from the ground up materials-wise. We managed to hide a few things, but we swear, that woman is a mind reader. _

_The good news, however, is that we have Theo Nott staying with us – you remember, that first year who hangs out with Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy all the time? We'll he's pretty sharp and, despite acting like Percy when Mum's got chores to hand out, he's more than willing to give us a spot of help behind her back. _

_He already made a few suggestions for improving the nougats and the toffee. Got a flare for potions, that one, not that you'd know it from the way Snape treats him. And he said he'll look over a lot of our other recipes as well, see if there's anything we could add or improve. I guess his dad had some crazy huge library with all sorts of books on potions and ingredients that he read, so he really knows his stuff. _

_We'll keep you filled in on how things are going. Also – seeing as we need to replenish our supplies anyway – don't you still owe us three galleons from that bet we made right before finals? George did not, in fact, get any Ds. So pay up. _

_Yours,_

_Gred and Forge_

OOO

_Dear Mr. Sirius Black of Number 12, Grimmauld Place,_

_In light of recent events, the Ministry of Magic has re-opened the case for which you were convicted. In the interests of justice, we ask that you appear before a special ministry hearing in one week's time, to be conducted by a panel of five Wizengamot members. If you choose to appear, please give us notice. Due to your particular situation, you will be allowed one representative/bodyguard to be with you during the hearing. _

_We appreciate your cooperation in this matter._

_Signed, _

_Minister of Magic_

_Cornelius Fudge _

_Supreme Warlock of the Wizengamot_

_Albus Dumbledore _

_Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement_

_Amelia Bones _

OOO

A/N: So I thought I'd try something a bit new, a bit artistically different this chapter. Plus it's a bit shorter – I'm bogged down with finals right now. There will be a regular chapter, full length, some time next week though. Until then, happy reading.


	5. Welcoming

OOO

Harry stood back in the hallway, wondering if it was at all humanely possible for his uncle to get any redder. Vernon Dursley was quaking in fury and so much blood had rushed to his face that Harry was surprised he hadn't passed out. In front of him, an obstinately cheerful smile on his face, stood the object of Vernon's anger.

"Good afternoon sir. I was wondering if I might request Harry's company for a few days?"

"You came here," Vernon gasped, pointing a quivering finger towards Draco's side, "on _that_?"

"My broom?" Draco looked down at it. "Well, yeah. I had to. Don't be concerned, though. I came here under an invisibility cloak, nobody saw me."

"_Freak!_" He made to slam the door in Draco's face when Harry cleared his throat.

"I wouldn't do that," he said, pulling his wand out and twirling it casually in his hands.

Taking one glance at the wand, Vernon twitched then opened up the door.

"Thank you sir," Draco nodded as he stepped into the hallway and looked around before fixing his attention on Harry. "Are you packed?"

"One or two more things. I'll be done in a minute."

He dashed back upstairs, leaving his uncle alone with the grey-eyed boy. Draco started humming and Vernon glared harder at him, so he stopped and looked apologetic.

"Sorry if I was annoying you. So you're Harry's family?"

"Yes," Vernon snapped, looking as though he wanted to leave but was afraid that if he left Draco alone in the hall, the boy might burn the whole house down.

"That's nice. You have a lovely house. What do you do for a living?"

"Sell drills," he snapped again.

"I see." He nodded thoughtfully. "My father's a politician. We live in a manor in Wiltshire; that's where Harry and I will be going." He gave Vernon a slight smirk. "I do wish you could see it, although I'm not sure my mother and father would be… _comfortable_… with that." Absently he reached up as lightly touched the clasp of his cloak, an expensive-looking bejeweled family crest.

Harry reappeared just as Vernon was bristling at Draco's implication. Noticing his uncle's agitation, he tugged Draco towards the door.

"Come on," he muttered as he tugged the cloth of Draco's sleeve. "If we hurry we can get to your place before dinner."

"Lovely meeting you sir," Draco nodded with a smirk then vanished as he pulled on the invisibility cloak.

As soon as they were airborne, Harry turned in Draco's direction, though he could not see him.

"What was that about?" He demanded. "And before you start playing innocent – you know what I mean. The situation with my uncle."

"Oh that?" Draco laughed. "I told you I knew how to handle him. I know his type; smug and self-important. Be polite but frosty, show a little wealth, a little arrogance, and no matter how _freakish_ they think you are they quail. Not that I had any serious doubts about him letting you leave with me. If it came down to it – not that I was thinking it would, but if it did – he'd probably let you leave for a few pound notes, no questions asked."

"I'd like to say you're wrong, but probably not," Harry laughed. "So what are we planning to do? Besides the picnic of course."

"Well, I was hoping we could make to Grimmauld at some point. I detoured by there today for a moment, but that was only to eat, check up on Kreacher and grab Sirius' mail – the ministry sent something there. I'd like to spend a bit longer though, hang out with Sirius and all that. We could either get past the apparition boundaries and do a few sidelong transports or floo, maybe out of Luna's."

"Could we go there now and floo back, by the way? I'm fond of flying but your house is pretty far."

"Unfortunately no," Draco sighed. "If we tumbled out of a random fireplace in my house, an explanation would be demanded and my dad could probably trace where we came from. And flooing anywhere else like Ginny's or Luna's would only mean more explanations to surprised parents, so it isn't really a good idea."

"Understood. On that subject – I think we should tell Ginny and Luna about Dragon." He adjusted his flight path and drew up somewhat closer to Draco. "They deserve to know, I'd say. And they're not the type to gossip about things. They wouldn't tell anybody what they know about him, even if it isn't dangerous."

"Then if we tell them, we should do it at the picnic. That way we'll be far away from Ron. No offense to Ginny but he's the last person I want finding out about Dragon. Well, next to last; Pansy Parkinson would be the last, but if Ron knows then I'm sure she does too."

Harry laughed. "I'm sure Ginny would have no problem with you saying that. From the letters she sent us, she sounds more annoyed with him then we are."

"We'll get to see Nott there too – what do you supposed happened with him?"

"Maybe it's like what happened with Sirius. Remember what he told us? Living with a staunchly Slytherin family got to be so bad that he ended up running away."

"Yeah, but Sirius did that when he was a lot older. Theo's not the type to go making rash decisions. He's level-headed and he can take a lot. I don't think he would have bolted only because his father was annoying him. Besides, you've heard Sirius' mum's portrait. Walburga's a bloody screaming terror and there were two other people in the house with her. Not even Nott could have handled that. But with Theo, there's only his father and as far as I've ever seen, he's as quiet as Nott."

"As quiet as Theo and twenty times as creepy. Did you see the looks he was giving Nott when we got off the Hogwarts Express?" Draco made a small noise of affirmation. "Like he wanted to grind Theo into the ground beneath his heel."

"Are you saying that you think his dad did something?"

"We won't know until we ask Theo, I guess. But it wouldn't surprise me," Harry muttered darkly.

"Wouldn't surprise me either, to be honest. Father had him over to the manor rather frequently when I was young and he always scared me somewhat. I liked Theo coming over but I could have done without his father."

"Seems like Theo could do without him too," Harry teased.

"Harry!" Draco gasped. "What if something terrible happened to him?!"

"Oh, come on. Theo's a genius, probably smarter than all of us put together. And clever and resourceful. You really think there's anything he couldn't handle?"

OOO

"Here," Theo held a book out to the twins. "I didn't bring many of the technical books from my father's library but I did bring a few. This one should be particularly helpful. It an herbal encyclopedia, but it's much more thorough than most of the ones normally given to students. And its enchanted to allow you to look for ingredients by name, by potions or by effect."

"Sure we couldn't just ask you?" George grinned.

Theo smirked in return. "I might be intelligent but I'm hardly a walking encyclopedia."

"Maybe not from your perspective," Fred replied as he flipped through the pages. "But to everybody else you are."

"Well I'm flattered. And if you want to ask me anything, feel free and I'll do the best I can to help. Ginny and I promised we'd help your mum make food for tomorrow, though, so I'm heading down to the kitchen to go do that."

The twins nodded in unison.

"Sounds good to me," George replied as he crushed up some leaves in a mortar. "Keep Mum busy and she won't have time to go wondering what we're up to."

"The perfect distraction," Fred smirked. "After all, she'd never accuse darling Theo of providing an intentional diversion."

"Not all of us have ulterior motives, you know." Theo stood and went to the door. "I happen to enjoy helping out in the kitchen."

"Enjoy, then. And we'll let you know how this goes," George gave him a nod.

"Or you'll find out when one of us starts bleeding or puking uncontrollably," Fred rejoined.

Shaking his head, Theo made his way down the hall. He rounded the corner of the stairwell, only to bump into Ron who was clutching a piece of parchment. Theo took a step back and Ron glowered.

"'Scuse me," the red-head muttered and brushed his way past Theo.

Sighing, the brunette continued his way down the steps, into the kitchen where there were pots and trays everywhere. Mrs. Weasley and Ginny stood off to one side, fairly coated in flour. Mrs. Weasley smiled the moment Nott came in, went over to a side cabinet and pulled out a blue apron that she tossed to Theo.

"You can wear this, dear, so that you don't get your clothing _too_ dirty."

"What are we making?" Nott asked as he tied the strings behind his back.

"There's dough for sugar cookies chilling the ice box and Mum is making almond bonbons while I'm making some lemon tea biscuits. You can help us out or you can make something yourself if you like." She gestured to the sideboard where a plethora of ingredients were sitting out. "We have a ton of stuff."

"Do you have madeleine pans, Mrs. Weasley?" Theo inquired.

"Of course. They're in one of the back cabinets, I'll get them out." She set aside the tray of cookies she was shaping to reach up and rummage around for the shell-shaped pan. "Here you are." She beamed. "I'm sure they'll be delicious."

"I'll do my best," They replied, separating the eggs as he started to make a meringue.

"This is going to be the best picnic ever!" Ginny grinned as she grated lemon. Setting the fruit down for a moment, she walked over to the sideboard where the tins of flour and sugar were sitting. "But I don't think Theo's quite dressed to cook with us…" She glanced at him mischievously and reached with the scoop down into the flour sack.

"What on earth do you…" Theo set down his whisk and turned around, only to be silenced by a sudden cloud of flour thrown in his face. "…mean," he finished, wide-eyed.

Mrs. Weasley gasped, then, looking at Nott who was powdery white from his hair down to his chest, started to laugh. "Ginny!" She half-heartedly chastised.

Ginny reached over and tousled Theo's hair, spreading the flour through it and turning the brown to a dull grey. "Now you're ready!" She proclaimed brightly before going over to her own station and working on her baking.

"Best watch your back now Ginny," Theo grinned beneath the white powder.

"I'll be on my guard," she retorted, still smiling and breaking out in laughter every few moments.

As he whipped the meringue into stiff peaks, Theo brushed flour off his face with the back of his hand, trying to hold back a sneeze. It was fun, finally getting a chance to cook with other people – or getting to cook at all. Baking was the kind of task that, when he was at home, his father had usually insisted be left to the house elves. Making the food with friends was a lot more fun than waiting for house elves to get done and bring it to you, Theo thought.

Working with Ginny and her mum, Theodore wished just a little that he was actually a part of their family, instead of merely a guest.

OOO

"There!" Xenophilius Lovegood swished his wand and beamed at his daughter who was half-hidden behind a pile of flowers. "Now they should stay fresh for at least five days."

"Thank you, father," she murmured absently and hummed as she started to thread the stems of the daisies together.

Her fingers worked, dexterously winding and knotting the flowers together, until garlands and crowns began to emerge. She set them aside, a growing stack of white, yellow and green, until it was late and stars were glinting through the window of her home and she was working by moonlight. Only when every flower had been worked into a decorating did she finally stop.

Pulling on a long yellow nightgown that was embroidered with flowers, she slipped beneath the covers and dreamt of future afternoons to be spent amongst friends. As she drifted off, Luna absently wondered if Hogwarts would fulfill its promise of providing such afternoons _every_ afternoon, a haven where there was always more to explore and where she would be perpetually surrounded by the friends she held in her heart.

OOO

"Is there anything you would like to talk to me about?"

Ron turned around to see Percy in the doorway of his room. Frowning, he turned his back on his older brother and went back to his task. "No there isn't. Now leave me alone."

"Come on Ron," Percy made his way into the cramped room. "I know something is wrong. Tell me."

"Oh really?" Ron snapped defiantly and stood up from his trunk, pulling down a Chudley Cannons poster so hard that it tore. "How would you know?"

"You asked for the iron. You're about as domestic as a lawn gnome and you never do any housework if you can help it, let alone something as supposedly unnecessary as ironing. It's not a very big leap from there to guess that something is wrong."

"Pansy says that neat clothes are a sign of confidence. That people listen to you more when you don't look like a slob." Ron muttered defensively.

"Pansy?" Percy's eyebrows raised in question. "Pansy Parkinson?"

"Don't you start too," Ron snapped, pulling down more posters. "I get enough from Ginny and the twins."

"I wasn't going to say anything. If she gets you o take some pride in your appearance, maybe that's a good thing." He sat down on the bed. "What are you doing with your posters?"

"Throwing them away," Ron replied, tearing at another one for emphasis. "They belong in the dust bin. The Chudley Cannons are a losing team, always have been and always will be. I'm not going around supporting a lot of losers."

Percy nodded but didn't say anything.

"Don't you have something you could be doing?" Ron took the last of the posters down with a tug. "Studying or something?"

"It's summer Ron. Even I take a break then."

"Theo doesn't, does he?" Ron bunched up the posters and stuffed them into a wastepaper basket. "He's always reading or helping or amusing people or doing something else to be completely wonderful…"

"Is that what this is about? The Nott boy?" Percy looked over at Ron, but the younger boy didn't reply. "I wouldn't let him bother you so much. He does seem bright – but if he's hanging out with the twins all of the time then I wouldn't vouch for him being as upright as our parents seem to think he is. Besides, Bill and Charlie had friends over all of the time. Why is this any different?"

"He hates me and I hate him and he hangs out with a bunch of trouble-making jerks!" Ron fumed. "And what would you know about it anyway? You're a Gryffindor just like them; you're probably pleased with all the stuff they get up to."

"While I may rejoice in my House's success I certainly do not approve or condone all that they do, or at least are rumored to do. I hope we are clear on that point."

"Still. _Gryffindor_."

"Ronald, I don't believe that your house matters as much as your behavior. Now, I know you have gotten into trouble by trying to bait those you dislike. Trust me Ron, keep your nose clean and you will go much farther." Picking up a last orange scrap of paper that Ron had left behind, he tossed it into the basket as Ron went around wiping a dust cloth over his figurines.

"Pans said that too, after we lost all those points going after Draco."

"This Pansy seems to have some good advice; I would listen to her," Percy said pointedly before leaving Ron to his work.

Ron glanced over at his desk, where the parchment Theo had seen him with earlier was waiting. He kept thinking about how to respond to her, arguing with himself over what he ought to do. The winter holidays had been some of the best weeks of his life, full of new experiences and enjoyable times. Nevertheless, the lessons he'd learned about family were deeply ingrained and it went against everything he'd been taught to turn his back on them for… for what?

For a place where he would have proper clothing and eat elegant food. For a place where he would learn how to behave as a man with aspirations, a man who wanted to go places. For the closest friend he had instead of siblings who harassed him and an antagonist that he loathed.

On reflection, he concluded that it wasn't much of a choice at all and wondered why he had dithered so long.

OOO

Harry couldn't help giving out a low whistle as they landed at the end of the Malfoy's lengthy driveway and Draco opened the wrought iron gates with a touch. There was a barking from down the lane and a moment later Dragon bounded into view.

"Hey boy," Draco grinned as the dog jumped up on his chest. "Look who I brought!"

Sirius went over to Harry and barked, pawing him in excitement as well, before going back over to Draco. The boy leaned over to whisper to him.

"Don't let me forget," he murmured. "I have a letter from the ministry for you – they sent it to Grimmauld." A single bark confirmed that he'd heard and Draco straightened up. "Come on!" He grinned at Harry. "Race you to the end of the drive!"

The barreled down the neatly hedged drive together, neck and neck with Sirius panting beside them. There was a rustle of feathers as one of Lucius' peacocks hurried out of their way and they slammed into the front door almost simultaneous, Harry just a fraction ahead of Draco.

"Got it!" He panted. "Better luck next time."

"Next time? Try the next three times," Draco shot back, brushing his hair off of his flushed forehead. "I'm not letter you get ahead of me again!"

They heard the door unlocking at the same time and stepped back from it. It swung open to reveal two adults dressed in immaculate black robes, one of whom Harry remembered not only from Kings Cross but from seeing her in Madame Malkin's and the other, looking as always like an older, more severe version of Draco.

"Harry Potter, these are my parents, Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. Mum, Dad – this is Harry Potter."

He made a gesture from one to the other, and then watched nervously as Harry stretched out his hand towards the adults. Lucius grasped it first, shaking it firmly without changing his reserved expression, and then Narcissa took it gingerly and gave it a squeeze.

"Welcome to our home, Harry Potter," she murmured politely, stepping aside and motioning for him to enter.

"Thank you," Harry answered in reply as he stepped carefully into the ancestral Malfoy home. Lucius held the door and Draco entered with Dragon beside him as the door slammed shut a moment later.

OOO

A/N: So finals are finally done, the ice has stopped covering everything, trees have stopped falling all over the place and I at least have some time to breath/sleep/write again. A few notes. First, the sharp-eyed amongst you might have noticed that I changed Nott's hair from black to brown. My mind's-eye image of Nott has been influence by a few drawings on deviantArt that portray him with brown hair and it's hard to write black when you're thinking brown… so I changed it. I might go back and change the older descriptions, but probably not right away. I'm a tiny bit lazy. Also, if you haven't done so yet, take a moment to answer my Lucius-poll – it's in my profile and will probably be closed before Christmas.

Apart from that, its break so you can likely look forward to semi-regular updates. Next time we'll get to see more with Harry and the Malfoys, the picnic will happen and the chain of events that will spur the use of a certain little black book will move forward. :) Until the next time, stay safe, warm and happy reading.


	6. Showing Off

OOO

"I hope you find our home to be comfortable." Narcissa spoke to Harry, twisting her head over her shoulder to look at him. "It isn't very often that we have a guest quite as illustrious as Harry Potter." She spoke the words with a smile and Harry stared at her mutely, not sure whether or not she was being disingenuous.

"Mum!" Draco gave her a pleading look.

"It's quite lovely," Harry interrupted. "Much nicer than any home I've ever been in," he told her without an insincerity; Grimmauld was alright, but the portrait of Walburga was a definite detraction and ultimately, as nice as it was, it was a city house with no yard and still suffered from a decade's disuse. "I like your furniture. And your portraits."

"Thank you, young Potter," Lucius paused and gave him a nod. "We do our best to keep our home furnished with _only_ the best. Our house elves are admirably trained as well and do quite a good job of keeping it spotless."

"Oh. Yeah," Harry nodded. "I guess most places like this have house elves?"

"Of course," Narcissa replied. "They help with cooking, cleaning – in fact they've already taken your luggage and broom to the guest room near Draco's. It's an advantage over the Muggle world, is it not? Draco tells me that your family actually had _you_ doing the work."

"Mother!"

"Well…"

"Personally I find that abominable," Lucius added. "Talent such as yours should have been trained, not wasted washing dishes and cleaning carpets."

He shrugged. "My aunt and uncle weren't keen on magic."

"More's the pity," Narcissa replied. "Here we are!"

She pushed open a set of double doors that led to a room walled with serving tables with one lengthy, heavy wood table in the canter. Candelabras were stationed every so often down the length of the table. Only one set was lit, however, burning at the very end of the table. There were four place settings there, empty and waiting.

"Won't you sit down?" Lucius pulled out one of the high-backed chairs for Harry.

Nervous, Harry nodded and slid into the chair. Draco took the seat beside him while Narcissa and Lucius sat across from them. The house elves brought the first course, a thick soup, which Harry puffed on gently to cool.

"So tell me, Harry," Lucius began as he took a sip of his own soup. "How was your school year? As productive as Draco's?"

"Did you learn much?" Narcissa added.

"It was alright," Harry shrugged. "I guess I learned a lot. I didn't really know anything before I came to Hogwarts. I'm not always good at everything though. And Snape really, really dislikes me," he threw in.

"Severus Snape?" Lucius looked at him with an unreadable expression. "The head of Slytherin House? Why should he dislike you? Apart from the normal tensions between Gryffindor and Slytherin," he replied with a silky smile.

"Dear!" Narcissa was the one glaring this time, speaking in a warning tone.

"I don't really know," Harry replied. "Just that he seems to hate me for no apparent reason. Well, other than the fact that he hated my father when they were young."

"Hated?" Narcissa gave a small laugh. "_That's_ a bit of an understatement."

"You guys knew my mum and dad?" Harry looked at her, a bit surprised and a bit wary.

"Very little," Lucius replied, guardedly. "They were entering Hogwarts when we were in our last years there. We never saw much of them while we were there, less after we graduated. Knew them by name and to see them, but not any closer than that."

He did not add that they had been on opposing sides of a nasty war; no need in upsetting the boy with information he didn't need to know.

"Oh." Harry stared down at his plate as the elves took away the bowls and brought out the main course, a roasted goose.

"Snape's nasty to everybody," Draco broke in as he slipped a piece of meat under the table to Dragon. "Gives detentions for no good reason, looks at everybody funny, always favoring his own house and docking points off the others." He stabbed his food with a fork. "Wish we didn't have potions at all."

"Are you sure it's Snape you dislike and not the subject of potions itself?" Narcissa smiled knowingly at him.

Draco flushed. "OK, so it probably doesn't help that I'm not very good at it. Or that I think that dungeon is cold and damp and I'd much rather be outside. But Snape is still a right piece of work. Creepiest man I ever met."

"Nevertheless, he is quite clever," Lucius pointed out. "Whatever your opinions of him, the both of you would do well to at least try and impress him. He is not without influence or intelligence, both of which are integral to your experiences at Hogwarts and beyond."

"Theo's what gets us through," Harry admitted. "Or at least me. He's ept me from melting my cauldron into slag on more than one occasion, to say nothing of the help he gives Neville."

"Neville Longbottom?" Lucius stopped cutting his food to glance at Harry. "Being helped by Theodore Nott?"

"Nott will help anybody who asks," Draco replied as he buttered a role. "Except for maybe Pansy; I still don't think he's forgiven her for ripping his book that first day. He should help, though – he's smart enough for five people." He took a bite of the roll and chewed. "Not that it makes a difference to his father."

"Manners, Draco," Narcissa admonished. 'Don't chew with your mouth open."

"And you shouldn't say such remarks, Draco. I'm sure Theodore's father is quite proud of his accomplishments, whatever his sentiments might be towards his house."

"Then why'd he throw him out?" Draco challenged after he swallowed.

The fork Lucius was holding fell to his plate with a clatter. "What?" He breathed.

Narcissa laughed nervously. "Threw him out? Draco, wherever did you hear such nonsense?"

Draco exchanged a look with Harry before facing his parents. "It isn't nonsense. Nott is… well…" He took a deep breath. He would have to explain – and that meant revealing his communication with Ginny Weasley, a relationship that his father grudgingly tolerated and hated to be reminded of. "I got a letter from Ginny Weasley. Theo's at their place. Something happened, I don't know what, but that's where he is now."

Without preamble, Lucius pushed away from the table leaving his dinner half-eaten. "You'll excuse me," he muttered and strode away towards his study.

Narcissa stared after him then refocused her attention on the two dumbfounded boys.

"So, Draco says that you like Quidditch? I hear you made Seeker despite being a first year."

"Oh." Harry looked back at her. "Well, yeah. I did. I like it a lot. It's the one thing I'm really good at. We won the championship, you know."

"Yes, yes, that's what Draco said." She gave him a small smile. "I can't be _too_ happy about that, as I am a Slytherin alumnus, but it is good to know you have found a pursuit that meshes so well with your particular talents."

"Did you ever play?"

At this, Narcissa laughed loudly but naturally. "Me?! Goodness no! I barely knew how to handle a broom with any finesse. Besides, I have never been one for sports, even as a spectator. Lucius is the one who insists upon getting Quidditch World Cup tickets."

"I'm going to play next year," Draco grinned. "If I can make the team."

"That's a big if," Harry teased and Draco kicked him under the table.

Narcissa smiled at them over the rim of her wine glass then turned on eye towards the door, wondering where Lucius had gone. As if in answer to her question, he appeared at the door a moment later and sat back down.

"What have I missed?" He asked, picking up his fork.

"We were just talking Quidditch. Harry wanted to know if Mum ever played."

"Your mother?" He looked amused. "Not hardly. I watch, but apart from whatever Draco might do that's as far as our Quidditch involvement goes."

"What do you do in your spare time, then?" Harry gave his empty plate to a nearby house elf. "I mean, what do wizards do to relax?"

"Unfortunately, my responsibilities with all of the various committees I belong to and positions I hold don't leave me with much time to relax. I do enjoy Quidditch when I get the opportunity to watch, as well as various other pursuits. Take in the races on occasion, go to concerts – believe it or not, I used to belong to a dueling club when I was younger. It was marvelous practice."

Harry nodded. "Uncle Vernon went to the races once with a client, but he didn't talk much about it. Draco says you sometimes get to go to wizard zoos. I would like to see those. We only ever went to Muggle ones and… well, they weren't much fun. And I caused a lot of problems the one time I went, setting stuff free and all that."

"Then we must take you sometime," Narcissa replied as the elves set desserts of crème brulee in front of them. "I assure you, they are far superior to anything you might have encountered in the Muggle world."

Harry didn't respond, but noticed that Draco give a little roll of his eyes when his parents weren't looking. They wolfed down their desserts, then Draco yanked Harry's arm, leading him away from the table.

"Come on! I want to show you the forest and the grounds and the stables and Dad's peacocks…"

"It's getting dark, Draco," Narcissa pointed out as she pushed her own half-eaten dessert aside. "Hadn't you better show him around the house tonight and give him a tour of the grounds tomorrow?"

"I guess," he sighed. "Come on, Dragon."

Harry followed him up the stairs at full tilt, slamming doors as they went.

"Well, dear?" Narcissa looked over at Lucius. "What was that about?"

"Nott," he replied icily. "I went to see if it was true, what Draco said." He matched Narcissa's gaze. "The boy ran away – but only after his father issues an ultimatum about leaving Hogwarts."

"What!"

"He told me that Durmstrang would have been a much better choice for both of our boys, repeated his warnings about Draco to me and then, of all things, insinuated that it was Draco who ruined Theodore."

Narcissa's jaw clenched. "Who does he think he is?" She hissed. "And what did he think he was doing, saying something like that to Theodore? I mean, really – Durmstrang? And he went to the Weasleys, of all people! That clutch of blood-traitors! Why couldn't he have come to us? Better than running to their lot."

"You let Draco visit often enough," Lucius pointed out in a severe tone.

"He's taken a shine to the girl and would sneak out regardless. You know I've found books and toys from Muggle London in his room? I can only imagine what he gets up to when we're not around."

"You see?" Lucius snapped. "This is exactly what caused the problem – perhaps Nott is right." He took a drink of wine. "I must admit, however, that this news does not sit well with me. He should not treat his own child in such a fashion."

"Well, he is older," Narcissa sighed. "Perhaps are parenting methods are of a new school. Perhaps we have spared the rod and spoiled the child as opposed to his more hard-line traditional methods of raising Theodore."

"It remains to be seen, then, which one will come out the better for it," Lucius murmured. "And what did you think of Harry?"

"He's a genial boy," Narcissa replied. "But still his parents' child – though he does seem to appreciate some of the differences between the worlds, even in this short amount of time."

"Excellent." Lucius finished the last of his wine. "We should invite him over more often. Start slowly, don't move too quickly – allow him to become enamored of our world and let the disdain and rough treatment of his relatives do the rest."

"Be that as it may, Lucius, I find it hard to believe that we could ever convince him to certain… methods." She ran a manicured finger around the rim of her glass.

"He does not have to agree. As I said of Draco – it would be enough for him to stay out of the way."

He rose a second time and retreated once more to his study. The elves cleared away the last of the plates and Narcissa remained alone with her own glass of merlot.

"It may be enough for you," she whispered to the air, "but neutrality will not be good enough for all."

With that, she rose and went to her own room to ponder.

OOO

When Draco finally did get to take Harry out to the grounds, he first ran into the woods and took the letter out of a fold in his robes. Sirius transformed before them and glanced over the letter.

"You can have Artemis to respond if you like," he told him.

"Or Hedwig," Harry added.

"Hedwig," Sirius replied. "I don't want to get you in trouble, in case anyone at the Ministry recognized your owl. I suppose I could go there while you lot are at the picnic. It would be a convenient way to avoid an explanation about where your dog went, particularly since I'll probably be there the better part of a day."

Draco nodded. "We've been meaning to explain about you to Ginny and Luna anyway. This will provide a good impetus to do that."

"Think you can trust them?" Sirius smiled mischievously.

"Of course we can!" Harry replied with an equally playful grin.

""And I expect you'll be making some sort of public statement too?" Draco wondered.

"Possibly. First things first though – a proper wand, reclaim my vaults, that sort of thing. Even if I won't be spending a lot of time around them, I want access to them if I need it."

"Got it," Draco nodded. "Wonder what kind of wand you'll get."

"Something cool, I'll bet," Harry theorized. "And good for jinxes, hopefully."

Sirius grinned. "One can only hope."

"So, Harry," Draco broke in, "what do you think of my home?"

He gave a whistle. "Certainly nicer than any place I've ever set foot in. By a long shot. The mattress I slept on was even more comfortable than my bed at Hogwarts. And your Mum and Dad are very polite and nice."

"You don't find them a bit… off-putting?" Draco inquired nervously.

"They're a bit formal," Harry admitted. "But maybe that's just me. Most adults loathe me, fawn over me, or – in Quirrell's case – try to kill me. They seem nice enough, but a bit guarded to be honest."

Draco nodded. "I get worried every time they make a comment about Muggles." He sighed. "They're not… well, they're not so bad but they have a decided opinion about Muggle-wizard relations. Don't always approve of everything I read or watch or do, though I have to admit they let me regardless."

"Well, they probably haven't encountered much of the Muggle world, have they?" Draco shook his head 'no.' "A lot of the stuff your dad said he liked sounded like a lot of the stuff Muggles do sometimes. Rich ones, at least. Maybe if he actually did something or tried something Muggle…"

"I suggested that. He didn't seem very keen on it – but I could always try harder. Get him something for his birthday or the holidays that would introduce him to Muggle stuff. Gently, mind you. Don't want to drive him off right away, give him a chance to get used to it."

"Keep him away from people like the Dursleys, though. I'd imagine any wizard would hate people like that."

"They're certainly pieces of work," Sirius remarked gruffly.

"So while we're out here, do you want to explore the rest of the forest? And after that I can take you to the stables – if it's alright with you I've got a bit of an idea for tomorrow." Draco grinned. "I think we can make a real entrance."

"Oh?" Harry fell into step beside him. "What did you have in mind?"

"You'll see…" He replied as Sirius retransformed and the three wound their way through the trees.

OOO

The morning of the picnic dawn bright and clear, a hint of moisture on the air from a light rain the night before. Theodore ran up to the top of the hill, a few books tucked beneath his arm as he carried the basket with Ginny. Luna was already there, her flowers spread out around her along with fresh ones gathered from the surrounding hillside.

"Luna!" Ginny nearly dropped her end of the basket as she waved to the other girl.

The blond returned the wave with a dreamy look as Theo set down the basket and unfolded the top. Ginny spread out a blanket next to Luna and helped Theo lift the dishes out one by one, along with tumblers, silverware, pitchers and plates.

"Will Draco or Harry be joining us?" Theo inquired as he set down Ginny's lemon tea biscuits.

"I asked them both," Ginny replied, arranging the plates and setting down floral-print napkins.

"They're coming," Luna replied as she draped a circle of flowers around Ginny's neck and then set a circlet of them on Theo's head. "Can't you hear them?"

Seconds later, Nott and Ginny heard a pound sound and twisted their heads to see. Off in the distance were two dark spots, coming closer and closer until they took shape.

"Woooohoooooooo!" Draco's whoop carried over the air and Theo laughed when he realized that Draco was riding Tywyll at a breakneck speed.

"Showoffs," Theo murmured with a grin.

Harry was following on an Abraxan, not far behind, but looking completely terrified to be on a galloping horse. Draco, however, seemed absolutely elated and spurred the Thestral on faster, making for the picnic layout. Ginny and Luna gasped in unison as he rode right up to the edge then nudged Tywyll into a leap over their heads.

He landed a few feet away and slowed the horse down to a trot, wheeling it around and grinning at the lot of them. He panted for breath and excited pink blotches appeared on his cheeks.

"Wasn't that _fantastic_?!"

Harry brought his horse up to a hasty halt, nearly tumbling off it in the process.

"Never again!" He moaned, trying to calm down. "Draco! That's the last time I _ever_ get on the back of one of these again!"

"You'll get used to it," Draco replied cheerfully as he dismounted. He gave a glance over the layout. "Looks good."

"It should be – Ginny and I worked all day to make it." Theo lifted a book up. "And I'm going to be reading a spot of poetry too."

"Hey, Draco?" Ginny looked around. "Where's Dragon? I don't see him around; I thought he'd be with you on a nice day like this."

Draco looked at Harry, then at Theo, and nodded. "Ginny, Luna – we have something to tell you about Dragon."

OOO

A/N: One last update before I head home for the holidays (after only a few frustrating days of delayed/canceled flights). The New Year will bring the picnic, part two, more of Sirius and a few other characters as well. Until then, I hope you all enjoy the holidays, whichever ones you might be celebrating, and look forward to another great year of reading and writing.


	7. Stories to Tell

OOO

"Something to tell us about Dragon?" Ginny poured herself a glass of lemonade and took a sip. "What do you mean?"

"First things first," Draco replied as he took a wrapped package out of his cloak. As he unwrapped it, the others saw that it contained a raw liver which he fed to Tywyll. While the Thestral munched, Draco wiped his hands off on the grass then took a glass of lemonade that Ginny poured and handed him. "You have to promise that you won't tell anybody what we're about to tell you. Don't worry – it isn't anything bad. It's a big secret though. We made Fred and George promise the same if it makes you feel any better."

"Well, if you could tell Fred and George and they kept quiet about it, I can too."

"I will keep silent on the matter," Luna replied, "since you do not wish it known."

"Alright then." He gave one last glance towards Theo and Harry. "Dragon is actually an Animagus – and not just any Animagus. He's Sirius Black." Ginny's eyes widened. "You can ask Harry and Nott if you like – but this isn't a prank and I'm not joking."

"I believe you," Luna interrupted softly, reaching for a cookie.

"It's how he's been hiding all these years," Draco went on. "He came to our house when I was really little disguised as a big black dog and he's been hiding ever since."

"You mean it?" Ginny looked shocked. "I mean, you really mean it?" Harry and Nott nodded a confirmation and her expression darkened. "And you didn't _tell_ me?" She punched him in the arm. "How long have I known you? Luna too! You're just getting around to telling us this _now_? And you mentioned Fred and George – you'd tell them before you'd tell me?! I can't believe you!"

"I was at school!" Draco protested. "This isn't exactly something I'd be comfortable sending in a letter! Besides – I had to tell Fred and George! Didn't I, guys?"

"There were mitigating circumstances," Theo affirmed.

"I don't care what there were!" Ginny huffed. "You can trust me – _could have_ trusted me!"

"I didn't want to get either of you into trouble." He was apologetic. "With Peter still on the loose – which was, by the by, partially your brother's fault as we'll get to – Sirius would be in Azkaban, maybe would have gotten kissed if anything had gotten out. Not that I think you would have told," he added hastily, seeing the look on her face. "But you live in a crowded house. And the fewer who know a secret the better it's kept."

Luna smiled serenely at him and took out a small wrapped package of her own.

"I brought some food for your Thestral too." She peeled the butcher's paper away from a raw steak, briefly interrupting the story. "Can I feed him now?"

"Go right ahead. It looks like he finished off the liver anyway."

Tywyll tore into the fresh piece of meat while the Abraxan grazed and the boys related to the girls all that had transpired during the school year, particularly towards the end. If it were at all possible, they made an even better audience than the one in the hospital room after their final adventure had. Their looks of admiration were such that Theo noticed Harry and Draco blushing from time to time, laughing nervously and assuring them that they were good but maybe not _that_ fantastic – or maybe, on second thought, perhaps they were.

While the girls broke out into a spate of light clapping, Draco grabbed a clump of grapes and popped a few into his mouth with a smirk.

"So you've been doing this for years?" Ginny threw her hair back with a laugh and reached for a sandwich.

"Oh yeah," he nodded. "And what we've been talking about here – that's just a fraction of the adventures I had with Sirius. The thing of it is, though – my parents can't know. Even though he's probably going to be cleared of his crimes, if my mum and dad find out that my dog is Sirius Black… well, it won't be pretty to say the least. So do you think you can keep this secret?"

"Don't worry – we can," Ginny reassured him. "I mean, I wouldn't want anything like what happened to Theo to happen to you."

"Hey! My parents aren't like that!" Draco frowned. "I mean, they'd be mad, but I don't ever think they'd throw me out or something."

A bit abashed, Ginny blushed and nodded. "Well, regardless, we don't want you getting in any sort of trouble. Nobody will find out from me, promise. And especially not Ron."

"I'll never tell either," Luna chimed in. "And even if I did, I'm not sure that anybody except maybe my father would believe me. Adults think I'm a bit off, you know."

"Well most adults, from what I've seen, haven't any good sense at all." Draco began ripping the peel off of an orange. "If they did, then surely they would have seen what Quirrell was up to long before we did, it seems to me."

Luna nodded in commiseration. "I find them to be quite limited in the scope of their imagination."

"I know what you mean." Harry swallowed the chicken he was gnawing. "I'm still not sure my Uncle Vernon has wrapped his head around the idea of magic."

"Speaking of imagination…" Theo wiped his hands off on a napkin and lifted his book. "Now that we've all had something to eat, shall I read a poem or two?"

"Go right ahead," Ginny encouraged. "It's part of why we invited people, isn't it?"

"Then if I could have you attention," Theo went on as he cleared his throat and stood up, "I shall begin.

"_Mistah Kurtz – he dead. A penny for the old guy. We are the hollow men, we are the stuffed men…" _

The poem was not long and Theodore's voice was low and rhythmic, keeping their attention focuses solely on him. Even Tywyll seemed to perk his ears and twist his head towards the boy. As he went on, Draco shifted uncomfortably and cast a glance at Harry who was similarly frowning. Luna's wide-eyed focus never wavered and Ginny watched him with a studied expression.

"… _not with a bang, but a whimper." _

He finished and closed the book shut softly, then looked up at the group. "Well, how was it? What do you think?"

Nobody said anything for a long moment, the only sounds being the twitter of birds and the sounds of the horses. Then Draco looked at Theo with a pained expression.

"That was… that was really weird Theo, I mean… It… well… It wasn't bad, not exactly, it's just that…"

"I feel odd. Twisted, like," Harry replied. "I didn't really understand all of it, but parts of it – I don't know!"

"All that stuff about dying stars and kingdoms and everything…" Draco shrugged. "It's… bizarre, like looking into a pitch black night when you don't think morning will ever come."

"I feel strange too," Ginny added quietly. "And I'm not sure why…"

"That poem had a very sad soul, I think." Luna spoke softly. "I wonder that you chose it – do you have a sad soul too, Theo?"

He blushed. "Well, I guess you could say so. But this is what good poetry does – makes you think, makes you feel. Even if it's a bit upsetting – I think it's _good_ to be upset once in a while. There's so much to life and not all of it is beautiful, at least not in any conventional sense of the word." He gave them a rueful smile. "But since it seems to have upset you so much, I won't read anymore."

"No, no!" Draco protested. "It's not that. It's only… I don't think I've ever read anything like that before. It was different, more than anything I've ever heard."

"I agree," Harry chimed in. "It was strange but not really a _bad_ kind of strange. I mean, I'm not angry you read it or anything. Maybe you shouldn't read something like that _every_ time, but once it awhile, that shouldn't be too much."

"It was pretty even," Ginny added. "But like you said – in a different way than you would normally think."

"Perhaps we shall get to _The Waste Land_ eventually then," Theo conceded. "For today, however, perhaps I shall finish with something a little more exciting and a little less disturbing." He picked up a second book that he'd left by his plate and opened it. "I'll warn you beforehand that this one is a little bit sad too, but not really in the same way.

"It's called _The Highwayman_ by Alfred Noyes."

His second recitation more closely resembled the story telling that the boy had done earlier. The absorption that his listeners felt was not a disturbed entrancement, but rather excitement to hear what would happen next in the narrative. They cried out when Bess killed herself and again when the highwayman was shot at the end, exhaled and inhaled with the rise and fall of the story and clapped with enthusiasm at the end.

"I liked that one," Ginny grinned. "It was really romantic."

"And a bit spooky," Draco added.

"I liked the suspense. And the fighting," Harry interjected while he grabbed a few cookies.

"The imagery was quite lovely. I think I should like to imagine the moon as a ghostly galleon from now on," Luna added. "It's a very beautiful thought, don't you think?"

Theo grinned and sat down. "I like this one too – for all the reasons you guys said. It's not as weighty as other poems, but it's certainly fun to read. And if you guys think you'd care to have a few more picnics in the future, maybe I can read something longer over the span of a few days or weeks."

"I think that sounds like a fantastic idea," Draco declared.

"Besides," Luna smiled at Draco, "don't you have a birthday coming up? June fifth, right? If we have a picnic for anything it should be that."

"Yeah… I do. How'd you remember?"

"You mean you don't? We met on your birthday. The day you made all the snakes escape. We visited the dragons and the birds and talked to the Snidget."

"Oh yeah… that." He blushed and laughed. "I'd nearly forgotten about the zoo."

"Well if we're having a birthday party my mum will be sure to make a cake," Ginny grinned. "A huge one, probably, with tons of frosting. Dad will be livid if he finds out who it's for, but what do we care about that? And you have a birthday coming up too, don't you Harry?"

"July 31st," he affirmed. "Not that it's a big deal or anything. I don't want you to go to any trouble."

"It's no trouble," Ginny rolled her eyes. "Mum loves to cook, especially for friends. If we tell her it's for you she'll probably make it bigger than you are. Not that she would like you any less," she told Draco, "but I think she feels bad for Harry because of his aunt and uncle and all that."

"Yeah, thanks to my parents I'll probably have to have an 'official' birthday," Draco groaned. "Hopefully I can talk them out of it, but since I'm getting older they might want to insist on a big to-do. If nothing else there will probably be a private one with them – I can't exactly see them stretching out with us on the grass for lemonade and cake."

"Well just tell us what day around the fifth is best and what kind of cake you want and we'll take care of the rest," Ginny winked.

"I'll let you know soon. I n the meanwhile – when should we have our next picnic? And just so you don't have to do _all_ the work," he said with a look at Ginny and Theo, "I'll bring the food this time."

"Two or three days from now, maybe?" Ginny suggested.

"Lets make it two," Harry added. "I don't have much else to do otherwise."

"We can do things besides have a picnic, you know," Theo smiled.

"Like go to the movies?" Draco broke in. "We haven't gone to the theater in a while. Or had a movie night. We should do that too."

"Maybe we could have the picnic in the afternoon and then in the evening go to my house and watch movies," Luna suggested.

"That sounds good to me," Harry nodded.

"Me too," Ginny added.

"We're agreed then?" Theo looked around and everybody nodded. "Excellent. Two days then, Draco will bring food and we'll retire to Luna's afterwards to watch movies."

"Now that that's settled and we've all had food and dessert, who wants to go horse riding?" Draco jumped up and brushed the crumbs off. "They're both really gentle, I promise, and if you like I can lead them with the bridle so that they won't gallop if you don't want to go that fast."

"I'd love to ride Tywyll!" Luna clasped her hands together.

"And I'll take a turn on the Abraxan," Ginny grinned.

"I'm good for now, thanks," Harry replied. "Maybe after the girls take their turns."

"Same here," Theo responded. "I might lose my lunch if I go cantering about on the back of one of those creatures."

"Your loss," Draco shrugged and smiled.

He helped the girls to mount and they both spurred the horses into action, with Draco running alongside as they cantered. Their blonde and red locks spread out behind them, blown by the wind and the speed at which they were moving, and Draco clapped as they each executed little leaps and even flew around for a bit. After about thirty minutes, they made their way back and Draco held the reins out to the two boys.

"Come on," he urged. "It will be fun."

"I'll be riding the Abraxan back, so I think I'm good." Harry waved him off.

"Oh, I suppose," Nott relented with a sigh.

Theo took the Abraxan and Draco remounted Tywyll himself, galloping side by side over the nearby hills. Ginny and Luna drank more lemonade and watched them both in action, Nott a bit more awkward and Draco skilled but much more reckless.

"He's quite good isn't he?" Ginny observed.

"Who, Draco?" Harry spoke up. "He loves that Thestral. The first time we ever met he was riding it, when he went to kidnap me so that I could meet Sirius. And I've seen how he treats it at home. There are a few more that roam the woods that he's familiar with, but Tywyll is far and away his favorite."

"He's always been good with animals," Luna mentioned. "And he will be better still. Draco is fond of horses and they're very fond of him."

"Broke my heart when he told us about that unicorn," Ginny sighed.

"Broke _your_ heart? You should have heard how he went on about it, right after it happened. I don't think I'd ever seen somebody so upset over something like that. I mean, maybe Hagrid might be. But Draco was still worked up over it days later."

"I'm not surprised," Luna nibbled a madeleine with a look of sympathy. "It must have been very hard to see a unicorn dead, to feel like he had failed to protect her."

"Protect her?" Ginny raised an eyebrow. "I hardly think it's his job to single-handedly guard the forest. Unicorns are fast and strong; I don't know what Draco could do for them that they couldn't do for themselves."

At that point, Draco returned with Theo trotting behind, as the sun was beginning to slide below the hills and casting an orange glow over the picnicking group. They packed up, bid each other farewell, Draco and Harry trotting slowly home with Dragon joining them along the way, sharing a look that indicated they would fill each other in later on.

Luna flounced off to her home, spreading the remains of her flowers along the way, and Theo walked along with Ginny back towards the Burrow.

"I think that went rather well," he smiled.

"Yeah," Ginny sighed. "It did. I liked you poems – even if they were a bit odd – and the food was really good too."

"Thanks to you and your mother."

"You helped too!"

He laughed. "I suppose so."

"Really, Theo, you should give yourself some credit."

When they neared the Burrow, Theo frowned. Most of the lights seemed to be off and there was no noise coming from inside. Usually, even when it was evening, they could at least hear Fred and George getting up to something. He glanced towards Ginny, worried.

"It's quiet," he whispered. "Do you think something's wrong?"

"Dunno," she whispered back.

They approached the door and knocked softly. Mr. Weasley opened it to reveal the dimly lit kitchen with Mrs. Weasley sitting hunched at the table.

"Come on in kids," he murmured.

"What happened?" Theo looked at Mrs. Weasley who, upon closer inspection, had tears streaming down her face. "Did somebody get hurt?"

Looking up to see Ginny and Theo, Mrs. Weasley bowed her head again and broke into a fresh burst of tears, sobbing into a kitchen towel she had crumpled in her hand.

"Mum?" Ginny dropped the nearly-empty basket and ran to her side, Theo following suit a moment later. "Mum, what is it?"

"It's… it's… oh!" Her shoulders shook. "It's worse than the Sorting!"

Ginny looked up towards her father and mouthed the word 'Ron?' to which he nodded.

Patting her on the arm, Ginny and Theo reluctantly left her and followed Mr. Weasley into the nearby pantry.

"It's Ron," he whispered. "He left this afternoon. Apparently he ran away to the Parkinson's."

"To Pansy's?" Theo looked outraged and mortified. "That git!" He hissed. "That _idiot!_ Doesn't he understand how much this is hurting her? Doesn't he understand what he has here? What a bloody fool," he spat.

Ginny was so livid she could barely speak, only nod in furious agreement. "Come on, Theo," she muttered at last. "Let's get the picnic stuff cleaned up and see if there isn't anything we can do for Mum."

Theo nodded and they went back out to comfort Mrs. Weasley as best they could.

OOO

Next time: A flashback in which we find out how things have gone with Sirius. And perhaps a bit with Ron. Hope that everybody had a happy new year and that you enjoyed the first new chapter of 2008. :)


	8. Like It Was

OOO

As soon as Sirius came back, Draco was dying to hear how his day went. However, he figured that the telling would probably take several hours and he'd promised his mother that he and Harry would be back before it was completely dark. They stalled the Abraxan and put Tywyll's saddle away just as the sun was setting and made it back to the house. Lucius answered the door, giving them a restrained smile, then reached over and brushed a spate of yellow flowers out of Draco's hair.

"Daisies?" The elder Malfoy inquired, moderately bemused.

"Oh yeah," Draco laughed. "Luna brought those. Must've forgotten to take them out of my hair." He stepped into the foyer, with Harry and Dragon following. "Where's mum?"

"She's in my study. We have to have a talk with you, Draco."

Draco paled and glanced at Harry who gave a little shrug, as if to say he had no clue what it was about.

"Right then – what about Harry?"

"Your guest may retire or spend his time as he sees fit. Although I would like this to be a private conversation Mr. Potter," he said with a look at Harry.

"Sure." Harry nodded. "I'm a bit tired anyway. I'll see you tomorrow then, Draco?"

"Yeah, tomorrow." Draco nodded. "G'night."

"Night," Harry replied as he headed up the stairs.

Draco followed his father to the study, his mind flashing back to the last time he'd entered the room. Surely they wouldn't be repeating that discussion? Especially not with Harry over, he hoped. He still hadn't managed to sort out his emotions and was fairly certain that rehashing the issue would only serve to make everybody upset.

"What's the matter?" He asked nervously, sitting in a chair opposite his mother and petting Dragon to calm himself.

"Draco," Narcissa began, unfolding a newspaper, "we have something of the utmost importance to tell you – or perhaps I should say warn you about – that may well pertain to your guest."

"Harry?" She nodded. "What do you mean?"

"As of today," Lucius said, taking up the conversation as he handed Draco the _Daily Prophet_ with an article about Sirius on top, "a man named Sirius Black has been acquitted of all crimes in connection with the death of the Potters and is supposedly reestablishing himself in our world. Needless to say, this would not concern you save for two relevant facts. First, it has become known that the man is Potter's godfather. And second, he is your mother's cousin."

"We don't want you to fret, Draco," Narcissa assured him. "However, given these two circumstances, Lucius and I consider it rather likely that he might try to approach you should he encounter you two in wizard London – or perhaps even at Hogwarts."

"It goes without saying," Lucius went on, "that Black is precisely the sort you do not wish to be involved with. Since he has been cleared and that bungler Pettigrew charged with his crime, I've no doubt that he's integrated himself with precisely the wrong sort once again. That Dumbledore was present and spoke for him during his acquittal only makes this more obvious."

"You must keep away form him Draco," Narcissa admonished. "And I would suggest that you keep Harry away from him as well. In the event that the Dark Lord should return, no doubt anybody involved with people like Black will be at highest risk. Beyond that, however, he is a disgrace to your family and full of the nonsense you seem to be getting ingrained in your head."

"He's got no sense of self-preservation and no shred of dignity," Lucius added. "Again, we are not sure whether or not he would attempt to come near you. But given the family connection and his undoubted interest in Harry, he might. Be watchful, Draco, and keep your distance if you do encounter him."

"Remember, he has no legal sway over you. You don't have to listen to a thing he says if you don't want to. And if you want your friend Harry to come through life well and safely – well then, the less he associates with people like Black the better." Standing, she went over and kissed Draco on the cheek. "You may go now. We merely wanted to warn you, to make sure you would both be careful."

"Do keep an eye on Harry," Lucius said as he folded the paper back up. "He does not know our world as you do and, desperate for connections, he might resort to Black. Let him know that he does not have to. That he can make better friends, elsewhere, beyond those idiotic Muggles who raised him and that cavalier fool his parents entrusted him to. Your mother is right, though – we have kept you long enough." He pressed a hand to Draco's shoulder and gave him a little smile. "Good night son."

"Good night Mum, Dad," Draco mumbled and made for his bedroom at a brisk clip.

They were going to go absolutely spare if they ever found out.

OOO

The next day, after they side-longed to Grimmauld Place, Sirius informed Harry of the conversation and had a loud laugh at the irony. Draco, however, looked distinctly uncomfortable. Harry pointed this out to Sirius who immediately backed down.

"Sorry," he murmured. "Didn't mean to make light of it like that. It was ironic and all – but I know you're worried about your relationship with your parents."

"You do know they're going to kill me when they find out?" He grumbled.

"Then we'll just see that they never do," Sirius responded cheerfully.

Draco thought this might be a bit too optimistic, but he let the issue drop. "So how was everything? All I got to see was that one short Skeeter article and I know more than enough about her writing that to trust anything she pens."

"Let me get a cup of tea and I'll be happy to tell you both…"

OOO

_One day earlier._

Remus had known that Sirius would be coming, but when his friend actually appeared it seemed too good to be true. Sirius greeted him with a hug even more bone-crushing than the one he'd given the werewolf in Dumbledore's office and looked at his old friend as though he were the best sight Sirius had seen in a long while.

"Good to have you back," Remus whispered.

"I'll say!" Sirius grinned as he flopped down on Remu's threadbare couch. "After the hearing today, I'm going to be a free man – no more looking over my shoulder, worried that the dementors or the Aurors might catch up with me."

"Were you ever seriously worried?" Remus asked with a twinkle in his eye as he brought over two cups of tea. "After all, you were all unregistered; it wasn't as though they could track you."

"True enough. And to be honest, I wasn't that worried – perhaps I should have been more so at times. I was very scrupulous about keeping up my appearance until… well, I broke it for a good cause the first time."

"Which was?"

"Draco ran into a boomslang out in the woods that gave him a nasty bite. I had to be in human form to get him back to the manor in time to get treated so I took a risk and decided to trust him. Even then he was a loyal little mite; promised not to tell for the world. I got a bit more careless though. Harry ended up knowing – couldn't just leave him there with no hope!" He shot back at Remus' disapproving look. "And then Draco's friend Theo got drawn into it as well." Sirius sipped the tea. "He's sharp as a drawer of knives, though, that one; probably would have figured it out even if we hadn't told him."

"Theo?" Remus squeezed a bit of lemon into his tea and dropped in a sugar cube. "Who's Theo?"

"There's another kicker – Theodore Nott."

"_Nott?_ Wasn't his father…"

"Yes. But he's not the same at all," Sirius assured his old friend. "In fact, he's not entirely unlike me. Got sorted into Gryffindor along with Harry and ended up getting pitched out of his home at the end of the year when his father found out. He's living with the Weasley's now and while he pretends to be the sensible one, he's every bit the troublemaker that Harry and Draco are." Sirius added some sugar to his own tea and stirred it. "Rather reminds me of somebody else I know."

Remus blushed slightly and laughed. "Well I'm glad to hear that the apple, in his case, falls far from the tree. And Draco got sorted into Hufflepuff?" Sirius nodded. "I must say, I never saw that one coming."

"Neither did he. When the hat sorted him, he slid of the chair and nearly knocked himself out."

"It must have been a shock to his parents too." Remus looked at Sirius over the rim of his mug. "How did they take it?"

"His father seems to hope that loyalty will mean loyalty to that load of pureblood tosh they keep trying to shove down his throat. His mother mostly seems worried about how it will impact his future. I must admit, though, that neither took it out on him or grew angry with him for his sorting."

"Well that's good, isn't it?"

"I suppose." Sirius snorted gruffly. "Doesn't mean that they're not a pair of total gits. Last time they talked to him they tried to guilt him with the family ploy. Said that if he didn't fall in line, he would be putting them all in danger."

"They have a point, Sirius – much as I'm sure you hate to hear me say that."

"I know they do!" He sighed and set aside his mug. "That's what makes it so frustrating. You know, when Draco found me, I thought I was doing the right thing in staying with him. Apart from keeping me safe until I could clear my name and help Harry, I thought I would be doing him a favor, helping to make sure that he got raised with a decent set of values as opposed to what my family foisted on me."

"And you doubt that now?"

"I'm worried it will hurt him," Sirius admitted. "I was never close to my family; but Draco is close to his. And even with my history with them, I have to say that they are affectionate towards him as well."

"Mellowing in your old age?" Remus teased.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "It's only that I've gotten to see a side of Narcissa and even Lucius that I never did before. Behind closed doors, well – silly as it sounds to say this, they're actual people. For all of their faults – and do not mistake me, they have many that I loathe – but for all that, I do believe that they love their son and only want what is best for him." He laughed and took a drink. "I even caught myself feeling sorry for Lucius the other day."

"Perhaps your stay there has been a good thing, then," Remus suggested. "Not only for Draco but for you. It sounds as though you might have learned something during your stay there."

"Oh, I suppose," Sirius sighed. "But don't ever think that I'll admit it in public."

"I never assumed that you would. Apart from these recent developments – nine years is a very long time. So tell me, what were you doing for the better part of a decade? If what you've alluded to is correct, it sounds as though you and Draco have had some rather fantastic adventures. I should love to hear about them if we have the time."

"Well, my hearing isn't for another two hours so I have at least a little while to tell you some of what went on…"

Settling into his worn-out armchair, Remus listened, rapt, to tale after tale about forest hijinx, taming Thestrals, meeting characters such as Ginny and Luna, getting into trouble and causing mischief. Sirius was animated as he told them, simply relating the stories at first then getting more descriptive and adding enthusiastic gestures. It all seemed so enthralling that Remus was tempted to ask Sirius to share a few of the choicer memories with him through a Penseive. Eventually, he timidly brought up the idea and Sirius took to it with great enthusiasm, promising him that he would as soon as he got a wand and a bowl.

Though he was always more guarded with his emotions than Sirius, Remus had to admit that he was nearly as eager to see the memories as Sirius was to share them. While nothing could ever restore the innocence stolen by the war and the years, if he could see an adventure through Sirius' eyes, Remus thought, it might almost be like being with the Marauders again.

Almost.

OOO

By the end of the day, Sirius was in an even better mood than when he'd gone to see Remus. With Dumbledore and Shacklebolt on his side, the hearing had gone off without a hitch. Plus, thanks to a bit of quick back-alley dodging, he'd managed to avoid the bespectacled media hound the Prophet had sent over to interview him about his acquittal; although he suspected she'd have been just as happy to do an article on his arrest and subsequent Dementor kiss.

Following the hearing, he went out shopping with Remus. New clothes were a must, of course, not to mention various magical supplies that he would need to properly live in Grimmauld Place (or at least make it seem as though he were living there). What thrilled him the most, however, was the prospect of finally having a wand again.

He spent over two hours in Ollivander's that day, trying wand after wand, waiting for a connection to happen. When it finally did, with an eleven and a half inch combination of ash and phoenix feather, Sirius grinned like he did the day he'd gotten his first wand. It felt so _right_ to finally be able to do magic with impunity again. He looked over at Remus, who was smiling as well, and his grin grew even broader.

"Come on," he motioned. "Let's get everything dropped off and Grimmauld and then we can catch up on things a little more over dinner."

Remus followed blithely as they Flooed back to Sirius' home. While they unpacked, Sirius cleared his throat and turned towards Remus.

"Look, Remus…" He started unwrapping the new robes.

"Yes?" Over at the table, Remus was organizing the potion supplies.

"I've been meaning to suggest this for a while. As you know, Dumbledore and I kept the information about my Animagus form a secret. With all the danger at the end of last year, and things being what they are with Draco's parents – well, to come to the point, I would like to remain with the boys for the most part while they're in Hogwarts. Not all the time, mind you, but enough that nobody gets suspicious about anything and I can keep an eye on them both."

He walked over to where Remus was sorting and started putting supplies away into cupboards.

"Anyway," he went on, "this place took a lot to get into shape. And it only gathers dust when nobody is here. I know it doesn't hold the fondest memories but… well, to put it bluntly, it's a bit nicer than what you've got. I know things are hard on you because of your condition and all and so, as a friend – would you like to stay here?"

"Be your housekeeper?" Remus looked amused.

"Not like that!" Sirius flushed. "It's only that I hate to see you having so much trouble because of the Ministry's ridiculous laws. And I'm not going to be using this place much for a long while. Even when I do, there's more than enough space here for several people. What do you say?"

"I suppose I ought to argue with you," Remus replied. "Give you a bit about not needing charity and all that. I must admit, though, my current place _is_ a bit of a hovel."

"A bit?" Sirius snorted.

"Well there's no need to be snarky about it!" Remus snapped. "Some of us aren't so lucky."

"But see, that's why…"

"I understand, Sirius. And I accept." He set a hand on Sirius' shoulder. "You are offering as a friend and, as a friend, I am accepting."

"Marvelous," Sirius grinned again. "Wait until I tell the boys! Since it's summer they'll be coming over now and again, if you don't mind."

"Not at all. I should like to get to know them."

"Excellent!" Sirius nearly clapped. "Speaking of the boys, I suppose I ought to get back to them. It's almost sunset and the Malfoys think Draco took me – well, Dragon – with him on his picnic. We'll get you moved in soon, though." He put away the last of the crushed powders and various herbs and turned to Remus. "It's marvelous, isn't it? Almost like the Marauders being together again."

He apparated away and Remus sighed. 

"Almost but not quite, Sirius," he murmured to the empty air. "And I can only hope you recognize that…"

OOO

"So we get to meet Moony?" Draco grinned. "Cool! And he'll be living here?"

"That's right," Sirius smiled. "If you don't mind."

"Not at all – I think it's awesome!"

"Does he know a lot about my parents too?" Harry inquired eagerly.

"Oh yes. We've both lots more stories we could tell you about our younger days. But before all that – do you two feel like helping Remus move in? He and I can handle most of it but we could use a hand Flooing a few of the smaller things over."

"No problem," Harry agreed and Draco nodded.

"I'll have a word with Kreacher too," Draco added. "Try to smooth over any ruffled feathers he might have about Remus coming over and staying."

"Just make it clear that no matter what his feelings, the matter is settled," Sirius warned.

"I know, I know. Don't worry, I'll try and soften the blow for him. You two go ahead and get started; I'll try to track down where he's gone."

Siriug ignited the fire and Flooed away with Harry while Draco began wandering the halls, going up and down steps to look for Kreacher. He knew he could have called but he thought it would be a bit more polite if he sought out Kreacher rather than expecting the elf to appear whenever he snapped his fingers.

He finally heard the elf's grumblings, coming from a bedroom on the topmost floor. There was a faded note on the door, signed by a 'Regulus Arcturus Black' whom Draco realized must have been Sirius' brother. The door was locked so Draco knocked. There was a shuffling and then the house elf poked his head out.

"Does master want something?" He asked with only a hint of civility, a favor that he only ever accorded Draco.

"Hi, Kreacher," Draco smiled. "Mind if I come in? We need to talk."

The elf shrugged. "The young master may do as he pleases."

What followed involved a lot of yelling and quite a few epithets on the part of Kreacher, as well as a monumental effort on the part of Draco to remain civil and not snap back. Dealing with Kreacher, as much as he thought the effort needed to be made, frequently drove him to his wit's end. He could scarcely belief that Kreacher and Dobby were of the same species.

The elf moodily resigned himself to the attic and Draco stumbled down the several flights of stairs just in time to see Sirius and Harry entering with Remus, all of them carrying boxes or packages of various sizes.

"How'd he take it?" Harry asked, setting things down on the floor.

"Terribly," Draco replied with a sigh. "But I figured he would. It'll take some time."

"As do all things," Remus added. "Do not worry – I won't be offended by any rudeness he might show. I've dealt with far worse, I'm sure, from fellow wizards."

"And let him know that if he does mouth off to Remus, he'll be getting a swift kick from me," Sirius added.

"Sirius!" Draco gasped.

"I know, I know. Treat him better and all. If he doesn't come around though…"

"You'd better not!" Draco shot back. "Really now. Be the better man," he teased as they all went back through the Floo port to continue moving what they could.

OOO

A/N: So that's how things are progressing. Next time, another picnic, the plot moves ever forward and we might even get to catch a glimpse of Ron (which yes, I know, I promised last chapter – but really, this time). Until then – happy reading.


	9. Sing, Goddess

OOO

When Susan came over to visit Hannah, the girl was sitting on her bed, staring out of her bedroom window with a faraway look. Let in by Mrs. Abbot, Susan knocked on the open door softly and smiled at Hannah when she turned.

"Hey," she grinned. "What's up? You look at bit bummed. Is something on your mind?"

"Hi, Susan," Hannah waved. "Didn't expect you so early."

"My aunt had some business to attend to at the ministry so she dropped me off early. Your mom said she didn't mind."

"Oh that's right; I almost forgot you're staying with her. How's it been?"

"My vacation? Not bad; and have I got a hot tidbit to tell you. But getting back to my question – you look really down." Susan grabbed on of the stuffed animals Hannah kept at the head of her bed and started to play with it. "Is anything wrong?"

"Not really," Hannah sighed and flopped backwards onto the mattress. "It's only… well… I keep thinking about the end of last year."

"What about it?"

"I'm mad at myself," she admitted. "I'm mad that I didn't stick it out with you guys. That I didn't go with you."

"But you got us help and that was equally important!" Susan insisted. "And besides, getting knocked out wasn't exactly a picnic. You weren't missing out on much."

"Even so – you guys are my friends. I should have been there for you. I mean, Cedric was there. Nothing really bad was going to happen. I didn't have to go running back up."

"Nothing bad happened because Cedric and those guys got lucky. And because Professor Dumbledore came in time, which was thanks to you."

"Still…" she sighed. "Oh well. Not that I want there to be the _next_ time. But I still feel bad about not helping and if there's a next time I'll stick by you guys. Loyalty and all, right?"

"That's us Hufflepuffs," Susan laughed, tickling Hannah with the stuffed moose. "And hey! The news I had to tell you. Well, it's like this. So yesterday Auntie Amelia took me into work with her because I said I wanted to see what she did at the ministry."

"Yesterday? Wasn't that the trial of Sirius Black?"

"Exactly," Susan lowered her voice, eyes shining. "I wasn't allowed in, but I managed to listen at the door. Real quiet and everything. Said that I was waiting for my aunt, nobody gave me any trouble. And I didn't catch much, but I did pick up on something interesting."

"Well tell me!" Hannah sat up and scooted closer. "Don't keep me in suspense!"

"I heard how he kept hidden all these years," she whispered. "He's an unregistered Animagus. And you know what his form is?" She paused for emphasis. "A big, black _dog_. Now does that sound like anybody we know?"

"No!" Hannah gasped. "You don't think…?"

"Dragon's always seemed like a bright dog, hasn't he?" Susan went on. "Bit _too _bright don't you think?"

"But hiding out next to Draco?" Hannah laughed. "As a pet? You can't be serious! You must have misheard."

"Nope. At least not about his shape. I mean, maybe Draco's pet is just a pet. But I think we should ask him, don't you? I mean, don't you think this is the sort of thing you should tell your friends?"

"Maybe he couldn't," Hannah pointed out as she toyed with a pigtail. "I mean, most people thought he was a criminal! It might have been dangerous – they might have even called the Dementors!"

"Think he'll tell us if we ask?"

"I don't know. You want to owl him? Or wait until we get back to school?"

"I'm not sure I can' wait that long," Susan grinned. "But it doesn't seem like the kind of thing we should put in a letter. I mean, they didn't say anything about him being an Animagus to the _Prophet_. Maybe they want to keep it a secret."

"Then there's only one solution!" Hannah clapped. "We'll have to invite him over or something!"

"Should we invite Ernie too? A Hufflepuff day out?"

"Sounds like a plan to me!"

Glancing over at Hannah's desk, Susan gasped. "And is that the new edition of _Witch Weekly_ I see?! The one with Gilderoy Lockheart on the cover?"

"Yes!" Hannah grabbed the magazine and hugged it to her chest. "Isn't he dreamy?"

"I'll say!"

"I thought you got this magazine though."

"Yeah, but it gets sent to my house; I won't get to pick up my copy until Auntie Amelia takes me home."

"Well, here, you can read mine!" She opened it up to a glossy photo of him in the middle. "He gives an interview here, it's really good!"

"Such a dream!" Susan sighed as she perused the article, Hannah looking at it over her shoulder. "And they say he's going to be doing a signing in Diagon Alley when his new book comes out!"

"I'll be camped outside of the store!" Hannah declared.

"You and everybody else," Susan flipped the page and tossed her hair back. "Think he'll talk to us?"

"Oh I'm sure he will! Everybody always talks about how nice he is to his fans. I can't believe we might actually get a chance to meet him!"

"And it's only a few months away!"

Both girls giggled in unison then read the article twice over until Hannah's mother called them down for lunch.

OOO

Unlike the meal that Theo and Ginny prepared, Draco and his mother prepared a French-style picnic with the help of the house elves before Harry even woke up. Although she seemed mildly amused by Draco wanting to help her prepare the tarts, she accepted his help with a light laugh and showed him out to properly make the crust so that it would be light and flaky.

They met again on the hillside, Theodore once more with a book and Luna again with an armful of flowers and a raw liver for Tywyll. Draco began to set out the baguettes, pâté, cheese, fresh fruit and sausages along with a large quiche Lorraine, a plate of croque monsieur and a wide variety of tarts. Then he pulled out a couple of bottles and Theodore quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Wine, Draco?"

He laughed. "Not a chance. Like my parents would set us loose with a whole bottle of alcohol. It's sparkling apple and grape juice."

"If you've got a bottle opener, I'll start pouring," Ginny offered.

"Then here you go," he replied, tossing her a corkscrew then bowing his head so Luna could place another circlet of flowers on his head.

"So what did you bring today, Theo?" Harry asked as he set out napkins and fed a sausage to Dragon. "More of what you read before?"

"This time I thought I'd try something a little more exciting. We'll read the first book then you can let me know if you want me to go on."

"Go right ahead," Ginny grinned as she picked up a croquet monsieur and took a bite. "We're all listening."

Standing atop a hillock, he cleared his throat once again and began.

_Rage - Goddess, sing the rage of Peleus' son Achilles, murderous, doomed, that cost the Achaeans countless losses, hurling down to the House of Death so many sturdy souls…_

When he was finished, the four burst out into a spate of clapping with a few barks from Sirius.

"But it can't end there!" Draco protested when they were done. "You barely opened the book!"

"That's right!" Harry chimed in. "Does Achilles die? And what is Hera up to?"

"What about the Trojans? Do we get to meet them?" Ginny's eyes were shining as eagerly as the boys'.

"If I continue to read, we'll get to that in time," Theo grinned, sitting down and grabbing some of the food.

"Well I think this is a marvelous idea!" Luna declared loudly. "You have a voice so wonderful that even the snorkacks would stop to listen."

Theo blushed. "Thanks. I mean, I've been practicing."

They continued to stuff themselves for about an hour until nearly everything was eaten. Draco stretched out on the grass, fully and satisfied, and wiped crumbs off of his face with the back of his hand.

"That was really tasty Draco," Ginny sighed as she lay down as well.

"Thanks. Although my mum and the house elves did most of it."

"Then thank your mum and the elves," Theo winked.

"So, then – movies at Luna's?"

"I want to watch _Indiana Jones_!" Draco spoke up immediately.

"Again?" Theo groaned. "That's all you ever want to watch!"

"Well it is, quite possibly, the greatest trilogy ever filmed."

"I don't mind watching it," Ginny replied.

"I'm good with anything," Harry agreed.

"Will it be the scary one?" Luna asked nervously. "With all the melting flesh?"

"Don't worry, I'll cover your eyes when we get to that part," Draco promised. "Like always."

"We have more than enough time to watch two movies," Theo went on as they started to pack up the picnic supplies. "And I'll agree to one action movie but it's be nice if the second could be something different."

"What kind of movies do you have?" Harry asked Luna.

"Oh, all sorts!" She smiled and began naming them from memory in a long list.

"Tell you what," Harry finally interrupted, "We'll go over and pick the second out when we get there. OK?"

The began walking in the direction of Luna's home and when they were at the base of the hill and near the woods, Dragon went into the trees and transformed.

"I'm going to go to Grimmauld and visit Remus, alright?" He whispered. "I'll see you again this evening."

"Ok, no problem," Draco nodded. "I'm sure he's still got lots of moving in to do."

"Have fun with your movie!" Sirius winked then disappeared with a pop.

"he'll probably be doing that a lot more often now," Harry sighed.

"Yeah, but who are we to be upset about it?" Draco pointed out evenly. "I mean, we'll have a lot of time with him at school. I'm sure he wants to enjoy his time as Sirius as much as he can now."

"That reminds me – he has a wand, right?" Theo asked.

"Yeah, he showed it to me and Harry the other day."

"Excellent." He turned to Draco and Harry. "I think we should begin studying Occlumency. I made sure to bring the book detailing how to train for it from home with me. And now that he has a wand, he'll be able to perform the necessary spell."

Ahead of them, Ginny gasped.

"Theo! Occlumency? Are you serious? Don't you think that's a little bit advanced?"

"I think we have to," he responded gravely. "All signs point to Snape being a Legilimens. It's a skill we'll need to know if we want to defend ourselves against any mental intrusions."

"But from what Draco says, you were wrong to suspect him in the attacks last year," Ginny pointed out. "Are you sure that you really need to be so nervous around him?"

"His guilt in last year's events is immaterial," Theo snapped, causing the others around him to stare. "I don't want him to be able to rifle through my thoughts as he pleases!"

"If it's that important to you, I guess we can bring it up to Sirius," Draco said timidly. "I'm sure if you tell him it's to use against Snape he'll be more than glad to do it."

"I still think you guys are crazy! Who knows what will happen if you try that? It might mess you up something serious," Ginny's voice was concerned.

"I have to say, I'm with Theo on this one," Harry frowned. "I don't want Snape to have free access to my thoughts. He might not be in league with Voldemort but I can't shake the feeling he's into something dark. And he's a nasty piece of work anyway."

Arrival at Luna's tall, rook-shaped house cut off anymore conversation. They piled into the basement, Luna put the tape into the VCR and before long any plans about magical training were cut off as they watched the film.

OOO

"Don't fret so much!" Pansy patted Ron on the shoulder then went back to putting his clothing in the closet. "You did the right thing. They were only dragging you down."

"Mum's probably really upset, though…"

"Well then she should have done a better job caring for you!" Pansy snapped, then softened her look and sat down next to Ron atop the green sheeted bed. "Ron," she sighed, "remember what you told me our first night in the Slytherin dorm?"

"Uh… will you be mad if I say no?"

"You were complaining about the meal that she'd packed for you on the Hogwarts Express ride up. Said that she'd packed you corned beef again, even though you hated it. Now tell me, what kind of mother can't even remember what kind of sandwiches her son hates? She didn't just pack you something that wasn't your favorite – she packed you something you didn't even want to eat!"

"She's busy," Ron said weakly. "She's always busy. We're a lot of work…"

"Oh, Ron, _please_. You need to stop defending her." Pansy looked at him sympathetically. "I mean, both of your older brothers are gone, right? That means there were only five of you. And I'm sure that your older brothers could take care of themselves if she made them take any responsibility. Although I have to wonder if she does, given the way those twins behave. Besides, if she couldn't handle so many children, why did she and your father have them? Not exactly responsible, is it?"

"I don't know," he sighed. "I don't feel right, though!"

"That's because you're dwelling, Ron." She took his hand and tugged him off the bed. "Come on; let's get your mind off of this."

"Where are we going?"

"Out for a flight. As long as we don't use our wands we should be fine. And even if we did – mum and dad are here so they couldn't tell for sure that it was us. There's more than enough time before dinner for a quick spin around the crescent. We'll get mum to put an invisibility charm on us and everything will be alright."

As ever, Ron found himself admitting that Pansy was right. Once he was up in the air it was harder and harder to think about his mother worrying miles away. Besides, perhaps there was something to what Pansy said. How sincere could a mother's pain be when she didn't even remember what he liked to eat or what color of sweater looked good on him? He'd never been a favorite with her, not like Bill or Charlie – not even like the twins who, despite their misbehavior or perhaps because of it, managed to get far more attention than he did.

And there was, of course, the matter of Theo. Thinking about the boy sleeping in his home made Ron's blood boil and caused him to spur his broom a little faster to blow off steam. Knowing his family, they'd probably already moved Theo into his bedroom, eager to forget about their _real_ son for that perfect little git.

By the time he and Pansy landed and went inside to a five course meal, Ron's spirits were considerably lifted and he sat down to the meal with a grin. Nodding respectfully to Mr. and Mrs. Parkinson, he thought about how pleasant it was to have a place at the table, a table uncrowded by a yelling throng of people and set with decent food instead of whatever fare his mother could throw together.

After dinner, they had another dancing lesson, like they did during the winter. Though he was still stumbling, Pansy praised his improvement and Ron flushed to the tips of his ears. He managed to do the last waltz almost perfectly and left the dance floor feeling like he was on a cloud, humming the music as he put his robe away.

When he drifted off to sleep, he did so with a smile on his face and all thoughts of guilt forgotten.

OOO

A/N: So we get to see about Ron – and get a bit of a surprise with Hannah and Susan! In addition to this update, I've also posted a new poll about Draco in my profile. Keep in mind that pairings are _NOT_ set yet. I'm going to keep the results of the poll a secret and I'm not sure if it will influence my ultimate decision. I just want to see what your thoughts and feelings are at this point. Call me curious ;)

Hope you enjoyed, as always, and I'll have the next chapter posted, quickly as I can.


	10. Other People's Children

OOO

It was past ten and they were working their way through a third bowl of popcorn. Draco had gotten his Indiana Jones and, as the rest were apathetic, Theo had chosen the next movie – something which Draco rather regretted.

"Ok, so who's that guy again?"

"Victor Laszlo; watch the movie."

"And what are they supposed to be singing?"

"It's the _Marseillaise_, Draco. Watch the movie!"

There was silence, save for the movie, for about five minutes. Then…

"This movie's boring. Why aren't there any explosions?"

"It's a classic, Draco!" Theo admonished him in a whisper. "Now shush!"

"But…"

With a flip, Theo upturned the remains of the bowl of popcorn onto Draco's head. Harry and Ginny sat up at attention, afraid a fight would break out, while Luna continued to blithely watch the movie. Taking the bowl off, Draco glowered at Nott for a moment, and then broke out into a grin as he brushed the kernels out of his hair.

"Nice one," he whispered, giving Theo a nudge which Harry and Ginny exhaled in relief.

He stayed quiet until the very end, as Bogart and Rains walked off into the fog.

"Well, that wasn't too bad I guess. For not being in color. Or having high speed chases with people jumping off of buildings."

"You should watch more classic cinema, Draco."

"I'll leave that to you," he winked. "And just watch my movies a few dozen times more over."

"Draco has a very short attention span sometimes," Luna remarked. "And he tends to be easily amused."

"It's getting late, Draco. Should we be getting back?" Harry turned to the chuckling silver-haired boy.

"Yeah, I guess. When do you guys want to meet next?"

"Day or two, I'd say," Nott offered. "And if I might – could I plan the food for next time?" He looked at Ginny. "If that will be alright with your mother."

"I'm sure she would be happy to let you work in the kitchen. What were you thinking of?"

"As odd as it might sound, I was thinking we could try an American style picnic. You know, potato salad, fried chicken, hot dogs, that sort of thing. Maybe build a fire pit, roast some stuff. I don't think any of us has a grill but if we did, we could barbecue."

"We could _buy_ a grill," Draco offered. "Since there's not a whole lot to buy at Hogwarts, my allowance has been stacking up. I'm sure we could go out with Dragon and find something. A grill, maybe a book or two on grilling…"

"Should we go out tomorrow to plan it then?" Harry suggested. "If we need to get all that stuff, it sounds like it's going to take some time."

"Well I think a day out and about shopping sounds like fun," Ginny added. "We haven't gone to London in ages."

"I'm surprised you suggested an American style Theo," Luna said thoughtfully. "You always seem very proper. But I like it!" She smiled and clapped. "And I would love to go out in London again! It's an excellent place for finding city-dwelling creatures you know."

"Then that's settled! Can we all meet here around ten? Is that alright with your dad, Luna?" Draco asked.

"Of course! Daddy loves it when you come over. Says that it makes the house ring, if only for a little while."

"Then I'll see you guys soon!" He stood and more crumbs of popcorn fell to the floor. "C'mon Harry, we'd better get going. Mum will be waiting."

"I'm ready." He stood as well and they went outside to find Dragon waiting by Tywyll, then headed home.

"Thank you for the lovely evening, Luna."

"It's always a lovely evening when we're all together," she smiled. "I had nothing to do with it."

"Nevertheless, thank you much." He turned towards Ginny. "I suspect your mother will be waiting as well. We should get home so that she doesn't have to worry about us too."

As they walked, Ginny looked up at the stars. "You know," she began, "I don't get that movie."

"What? _Indiana Jones_ or _Casablanca_?"

"The second one," she looked at him. "_Casablanca_. I mean… it was good and everything. But I didn't care much for the ending."

"Why not?" Theo looked at her, curious. "It's a classic ending."

"I know that. It's only that… we'll, I didn't think she should have gone with Victor. I mean, she loved Rick didn't she? And he liked her? I don't know why she didn't stay with him."

"Because," he explained with a shadow of a grin on his face, "she loved Victor Laszlo too. It happens sometimes, caring about two people and having to choose. And Rick knew that Victor needed Ilsa more than he did. Without her to support him, Victor might have failed in his cause and Rick didn't want to see that happen. Like he said at the end, he knew she would regret it eventually. And he cared about her enough to want to spare her that regret, even if it meant she left him."

Ginny paused, considering this. "I still think she should have stayed with Rick," she said in a decisive tone. "If Victor couldn't make it on his own, that's his problem."

Theo laughed as the Burrow came into view. "How very romantic of you," he replied as he pulled the door open for her.

OOO

By the time they returned home, it was late enough that they headed right to bed. Exhausted and excited about the next day, Draco slid between the sheets and dropped off into a sound sleep. Harry drifted off as well. However, before he knew it, his head felt like it was splitting yet again and he was sitting up, sweating.

As he tried to sort out the images that had permeated his mind, Harry noticed a sliver of light on the floor widening. He twisted around to see the door open, light streaming in from a lamp in the hall. And in the doorway, a dark silhouette framed by the light, was the tall figure of Mrs. Malfoy. She glided into the room, a candle in hand, and looked down at him.

"Harry?" She set the candle down on the bedside table, next to his glasses which he hurriedly put on. "I heard something in here. I was wondering if you were alright."

"It's nothing Mrs. Malfoy," he shrugged. "I'm sorry for waking you and Mr. Malfoy."

"Oh, don't worry. Lucius sleeps quite soundly," she smiled. "I'm something of a lighter sleeper… and I am used to listening for such noises. Draco had bad dreams every now and again in his younger days," she explained. "Is that what's troubling you? Nightmares?"

"I guess." He shrugged again, not really wanting to talk about it with her. He was fairly certain it was a snatch of memory about the night his parents had died. Not something that he wanted to discuss much with Sirius, let alone Narcissa Malfoy.

"Would you like a potion to help?" She offered in a sympathetic tone. "It's a somewhat weaker version of the dreamless sleep potion. It won't knock you out quite so deeply but it should dampen the worst of the dreams."

"I, uh… I suppose."

She nodded and returned shortly with a flask and a glass. She poured some of the potion in the glass and gave it to him, then set the flask on the bedside table.

"In case you need more," she explained. She pulled out her wand and, with a wave, one of the chairs in the room was drawn up to the bedside. "You know, it used to help Draco somewhat if he talked about it."

Her tone was reassuring; yet Harry still regarded her warily. He finished off the last of the potion in the glass and set it on the table next to the flask and wiped his mouth off with the back of his hand.

"It wasn't anything important. Silly, really, I guess. Nothing."

She leaned in and brushed back his hair. "Was it your parents?"

He recoiled and stared at her in shock. "How did you know?" He managed to croak.

Narcissa smiled, sympathetically. "I have a child too. Children worry, especially about those close to them. And in the case of a boy such as you – what else would be the stuff of nightmares?" Reaching over, she patted his hands which were folded on the blanket. "It isn't anything to be ashamed of, you know. Caring about your family."

Harry flushed. "It's just…"

"I'm sure your aunt and uncle weren't at all sympathetic, were they?" She asked, a disparaging tone creeping into her voice ever so slightly.

He shook his head. "They hated my mum. Hated magic. Said that my parents died in a car wreck, said that my dad was worthless, left me in that stupid closet and nobody cared if I had nightmares…" He gripped the blanket furiously.

"How awful," she murmured, not without sincerity. "You deserved better than that, Harry. I hope you understand that."

Too choked up to speak, he nodded and turned away. "I'm sorry," he finally whispered. "I haven't talked about this much. To anyone. Not even…" he nearly said 'Sirius' but caught himself. "… not even Draco or Theo," he finished. "Not in depth." He leaned back and took a breath; it was probably a bad idea, what he was about to do, but sympathetic adult ears were rare and he felt her sympathy an irresistible draw. "There's all this laughing and flashes of green, the curse I guess and then everything is impossibly cold. And when I dream, my head aches and it feels like all the hatred in the world is pointed right at me."

Narcissa nodded and allowed him to go on, yet felt slightly disconcerted. After all, how did one respond to someone who had survived a killing curse? It wasn't as if anybody had ever done so before. And his parents… they had been talented, by all accounts, but were such bloody fools, she thought. And his mother was Muggle-born as well. Their fates were foreseeable, to say the least. And it left their son in the hands of people who were decidedly horrid.

Though his parents were gone, however, there might still be hope for young Harry Potter. Narcissa smoothed down his hair and kept her face carefully set to avoid showing Harry anything but sympathy.

"Get some rest," she murmured. "It might have been frightening but it was only a dream. Nobody here hates you or wants to hurt you. The past is behind you, Harry. Do not allow it to frighten you."

Nodding, he set his head back on the pillow. As he closed his eyes, the potion took effect and the sleep he drifted off into was sound. Narcissa smiled, and then pulled the blanket back over him, puffed out the candle, and left the room quietly, closing the door behind her and heading back to her still-sleeping husband.

OOO

"I suspect you two will be out and about today?" Lucius looked at Harry and Draco over the spread of the breakfast table. Draco nodded an affirmative and his father smiled. "Don't get into too much trouble then. And Draco, here." He passed him a letter. "This came for you this morning by an owl that belongs to, if I'm not mistaken, Amelia Bones."

"Yeah, it's from Susan," he said, scanning the contents and looking at the signature. "Says she thought it'd be fun if the Hufflepuffs hung out for a day or something."

"Hufflepuffs?" His mother looked at him. "And which Hufflepuffs would those be?"

"Susan, Hannah and Ernie. At least those are the ones in my year. I don't know Justin very well, Zach hates me… maybe Cedric would come, but he's a bit older than us and probably doesn't want to be running around with a bunch of kids."

"I see." Lucius shot a look at his wife. "Well, if you do go traipsing about with them, remember to be considerate of your guest – even if he isn't in your house," he said with a smirk at Harry.

"I'll write her back later," he said, shoving a last spoonful of cereal into his mouth. "Come on Harry!" He swallowed. "We're going to be late!"

Grabbing a jacket, he dashed out of the door.

"Thank you very much for breakfast," Harry said, giving Narcissa a little smile. "Might I go now?"

"Of course," she nodded. "Go and have fun."

"Harry!" Draco called from the foyer.

"Coming!" Harry called back and ran towards the sound of the other boy's voice.

"Good manners that Potter boy has," Lucius said approvingly.

"Hufflepuff," Narcissa huffed. "And he doesn't get on at all with Smith…"

"Now 'Cissa, don't start this again," Lucius sighed. "He will be fine where he is. And Bones is quite high up in the Ministry. Being friends with her niece is certainly not a misstep. Besides," he smirked, "if you could get such worries out of your head, since it seems that we are to be left again to our own devices, I thought we might go out ourselves."

"Charmer," she smiled at him.

"Of course."

OOO

"Will your get together be Hufflepuffs only?"

"I'm sure they won't mind you coming," Draco assured Harry as they walked towards the Burrow, dragging the grill. Draco had kicked off his shoes and was wiggling his toes in the grass lining the walk. "They're friendly, you know that." He took a deep breath. "You know, this will be the first time I've ever really met Mr. Weasley."

"Seriously?" Harry's eyebrows shot up. "You've always spent a lot of time with Ginny."

"Yeah, but our dads have never been on good terms so we've always kinda avoided the issue."

"And we're going over today because…?"

"Because," Draco grinned, "it would be cruel to deny him the chance to work on something so Muggle as a grill with us."

Ginny rapped on the door and Mrs. Weasley opened it a moment later.

"Children!" She beamed. "I thought you were going over to Luna's today. What brings you all to the Burrow?"

"We got a grill mum!" Ginny gestured behind her to where Draco and Harry were leaning against the large cardboard box. "Can dad come out and help us put it together? Please, please, please?"

"Why I'm sure he would love to dear!" She laughed. "But where on earth did you get a grill? And why?"

"It was Draco's idea," Ginny went on enthusiastically as they pulled it out on the lawn and started unpacking it. "Draco and Theo. Theo wanted an American picnic and Draco said we should get a grill and he went ahead and bought one!"

Mrs. Weasley looked at them throwing about the silver pieces, shook her head and sighed. "You children…" she laughed as she went back inside, calling for her husband.

A moment later, Mr. Weasley bustled out, rubbing his hands together and flushed with excitement.

"Is it true what Molly tells me? That you've got a Muggle cooking contrivance?!"

"Yeah!" Draco waved and grinned. "Hi Mr. Weasley!"

For a moment, Arthur Weasley faltered; but he kept smiling and nodded. "Draco Malfoy, correct? And Harry Potter!" He beamed and shook there hands, Harry's first with great enthusiasm and Draco's, somewhat more reluctantly and with a glare from his daughter. Draco, however, pumped the man's hand as though meeting him were the experience of his life. "And Luna, lovely to see you dear… And Theo!"

"Hello, sir," Theo mumbled, looking over the plans.

"Now what is it you have there?" Mr. Weasley knelt down next to him and started to look over the numerous, complex diagrams.

"The grill," he replied. "Or at least what is hopefully supposed to be a grill if we do this right."

The said grill was now fully unpacked and in pieces at Theodore's feet and he sat mulling over the paper with Mr. Weasley, each occasionally picking up various pieces and turning them over in his hands, as if considering what to do with them. Kneeling in the grass, Theo spread out the instructions and clutched a screw driver, taking a deep breath.

"Need any help?" Ginny offered.

"Yeah, probably. Alright, let's see. I think I've got it. Hand me those legs over there, would you? And the wheels?"

"Here, Theo," Mr. Weasley held the pieces steady while he forced them together while Ginny and Harry went about arranging things into neat, orderly rows and then worked on another pair of legs.

Then Theo looked over.

"Draco! The charcoal is not for playing with!"

Draco threw up two black-smudged hands apologetically. "Sorry!" He grinned, standing up and walking over, though not before reaching down and smudging Luna's nose first and then wiping his hands clean on Dragon's fur. "I'll help."

For a fraction of a second, Mr. Weasley looked reluctant, but then he moved to make room for Draco. The silver-haired boy rambled on with his friends about what they would cook once it was built and about the interesting nature of Muggle inventions. Mr. Weasley tentatively mentioned airplanes, sending Draco off on a tangent about rocket ships, the Wright brothers and the Bernoulli effect, distracting them both to the point where they practically stopped working on the grill, needing a throat-clearing reminder from Theo to get back on track.

Gradually, however, it came together. Once it began looking less like a pile of parts and more like a barbeque, Nott rocked back on his heels and gave them all a nod.

"I think Mr. Weasley and I can finish it from here."

"So what are we supposed to do?" Draco asked, brushing his hands off on the grass.

"Luna, your father has a darkroom, right?" She nodded. "Why don't you go back home really quickly and develop some of the pictures we took today?"

"Perfect!" Ginny exclaimed. "I'll be my mum still has some scrapbook stuff lying around. She used to make albums all the time back when Bill and Charlie were kids but I think she gave up on it after Fred and George."

"Wonder why?" Theo smirked.

"Very funny. Come on, Luna, we'll use the Floo port and be back in a jiffy."

"Will they be moving pictures?" Harry wondered. "I mean the camera looked Muggle…"

"Oh, they'll move," Luna smiled. "The secret isn't solely in the camera – it's in how you develop them too."

"I'll go with them," Draco volunteered. "Why don't you guys finish up here and we'll be back soon?"

"That sounds alright by me," Mr. Weasley smiled. "And you lot will stay for dinner, won't you?"

"If you insist," Draco winked, and then went inside with Ginny and Luna.

After they had put the finishing touches on the grilling machine and draped it with the nylon cover it came with, Mr. Weasley stood back and looked at it with a satisfied grin.

"That's a good job, that."

"I would agree," Harry nodded.

"Hey, Harry? Want to come up and see my room?" Theo offered.

"Sure!"

They dashed inside the Burrow as well, while Mr. Weasley stayed outside, still regarding the grill. After a few minutes lapsed, his wife came outside and joined him, taking a short break from preparing dinner.

"Looks like you accomplished a lot."

"We did." He turned to her and smiled. "The Malfoy boy was with them, you know."

"I saw. And how did you get on?"

"I must admit," he sighed, "Ginny's friends do have a way of surprising me." Suddenly, he frowned and turned towards his wife. "You didn't knit him a sweater too, did you?"

"Well of course, dear." She looked surprised. "After all, it would have been dreadful not to give him anything – especially after he got Ginny that Nimbus."

"She's got a Nimbus?! Where's it been? How come nobody tells _me_ any of these things?"

"Get ready for dinner, love," she chuckled. "It will be ready before you know it and you don't want to get there late; otherwise there might not be anything left."

OOO

A/N: Another day, another chapter. Thanks to all who answered the poll; I have a few tendencies/inklings and this helped loads. And on a completely unrelated note – have I ever mentioned that I love foreshadowing?

Things to look forward to next chapter – more on the day in London and more on Ron. :) To be posted soon!


	11. Where Your Friends Are

OOO

Working carefully in the dark, Draco and the two girls hung the pictures up to dry and develop in the dim room. Finished, they eagerly cleaned up and returned via the floo port to the Weasley's burrow where Mrs. Weasley was setting the pot roast she had prepared out on the table. As they grabbed chairs and got drinks, Draco inhaled deeply and smiled at Mrs. Weasley.

"Smells fantastic!"

"Why thank you dear!"

"Mum makes the best pot roast _ever_," Fred told Draco as he passed Ginny a cup of apple juice.

"She does," George agreed. "Used to be Ron's…" He bit his tongue before saying the word favorite, seeing the look that came over his mothers face. "Well, anyway, it's really good," he finished with a shrug.

"So what did you get up to today?" Mr. Weasley abruptly changed the subject and started serving the roast.

"All sorts of things," Draco grinned.

"We went to Diagon Alley and checked out the broom sticks and some of the joke shops and got ice cream," Ginny told her father as she scooped carrots onto her plate. "Gilderoy Lockheart's going to be doing a signing later on this summer you know, right before school."

"Fantastic," Theodore groaned. "That's all Flourish and Blott's needs – that idiot drawing attention to himself. I don't even know why they sell his books. I didn't notice anything about a book signing when we were there, though."

"That's because your head is always buried in a book; you never notice what's around you when you're in there," Draco informed him as he took the bowl of mashed potatoes that George was handing him. "Although I'd have to say that I agree with you about the Lockheart thing."

"What?" Ginny teased. "You don't think he's handsome?" She rolled her eyes and giggled.

"I think he's a prat," Draco replied, passing the potatoes on to Luna.

"I agree," Harry nodded. "That smile of his is downright creepy."

"That's an award-winning smile that is," Ginny smirked.

"Well it's _still_ creepy."

"Aren't you girls supposed to be crazy about him?" Theodore quirked an eyebrow at Ginny from across the table.

"Nobody with half a brain would be." She buttered a roll. "I mean, all the stuff he claims he's done – I don't really buy it."

"Well it's good to know that some people still have brains." Theo declared.

"After we went to Diagon Alley we went into Muggle London and spent some time around there. We took a few pictures too that we can show you, when they're ready," Ginny went on.

"We took turned snapping them so that we would all be in some of them," Harry explained.

"While we were there, we got to mess about on the couches at Harrods," Draco grinned.

"That was fun!" Luna laughed next to Draco. "Oh! And we went to Kensington gardens and saw the faeries – the real ones and the ones that were only statues. I think Kensington gardens might be the loveliest place in London."

"Well we certainly had a time getting you and Draco to leave," Theo laughed. "If it were up to you we wouldn't have gone anywhere else!"

"I think I should like to spend a very long time there," Draco retorted defensively. "I could spend forever in Kensington gardens!"

"I'm sure you could, but I think it would drive the rest of us spare. Following the gardens we went to Madame Tussauds wax museum." Theo informed them.

"Theo got a picture with Shakespeare," Ginny smiled.

"Yeah, even though we technically weren't supposed to be using cameras at that point in the tour." Harry shot Theo a grin. "He almost got us kicked out."

"Well you almost got us kicked out when you and Draco were bouncing on the furniture at Harrods!" Theo shot back.

Mrs. Weasley laughed. "Well it sounds as though you've all had a very busy day. And you're planning to go and picnic again tomorrow?"

Ginny nodded. "Yes, if the weather holds. Now that the grill is built and we have the coal and everything, we should be all set. Just a few side dishes to prepare tomorrow morning and we'll be good."

"What made you think of an American picnic anyway?" Harry asked through a mouthful of roast.

Nott shrugged. "Oh, I don't know for sure. It was just something that came to mind. I've been reading a lot of American fiction of late and I thought it might be fun to try something like that."

"I remember – that book you showed me, one of your mum's… that was American, wasn't it? What was it again? Something about birds?"

"_To Kill a Mockingbird_. And yes, it's an American novel."

"Theo's very well read," George told Mrs. Weasley in a sardonic tone. "Best watch out Percy, I think you might have some competition for the swottiest person in the house."

"Oh leave him be," Ginny kicked at her brother from under the table.

"Maybe if you two read more you would get better grades," Mrs. Weasley admonished. "Although it's good to see that you balance your reading with spending time outside and being sociable."

Theo blushed as he took a second helping. "You really can't help spending time outside, not if you're a friend of Draco's."

"I don't see why people spend so much time inside," Draco replied with a shrug, giving Dragon some of his roast. "Most days there's so much to see and do, so much that's lovely happening around them, and they're inside poring over something pointless."

"Most people miss a lot of beauty around them," Luna observed with a nod. "It really is a shame."

"I'll admit, it's pleasant to study outside every now and again. But I could do without rain and snow," Theo told them.

"Or bugs," Harry groaned. "When I did lawn work for the Dursleys, I hated it when there were wasps and beetles everywhere."

"Besides," Theo added, "If you were outside all the time how would you watch TV?"

Draco laughed. "Good point. Still – most people don't spend near enough time outside."

"Speaking of spending time outside," Mr. Weasley looked over to the twins, "did you two de-gnome the garden like you promised?"

Fred shot George a look. "Well, um…"

"Mostly?" George offered with a hopeful grin. "Does that count?"

"You'll finish tomorrow," Mrs. Weasley told them.

"But we're supposed to be meeting Lee!" Fred protested.

"Well then I suppose you'd better work and finish quickly," she told them firmly.

Fred groaned and rolled his eyes but George said nothing; instead he shot a look at Nott, who nodded briefly. George smiled and then returned to his dinner. It was good having somebody around like Nott, someone you could really count on.

OOO

Carefully, Ron unfolded his napkin and spread it out on his lap. By now he was well versed in what utensils to use when, so he no longer fretted at the table about which fork he ought to eat the salad with or which side his water glass was on. The house elves brought out a variety of dishes, including a steaming bœuf bourguignon which he eyed hungrily.

"So did you two have an enjoyable day?" Mrs. Parkinson asked as she served salad.

"It was lovely, mother," Pansy replied. "We went outside for a walk and did a set of sketches by the shore. And then we practiced our flying so that Ronald can make a spot on the team next year."

"Think you'll be good enough to help Slytherin on to victory?" Mr. Parkinson smiled at him.

"I hope so sir," he replied earnestly.

"Ronald will be an excellent Keeper, I think," Pansy told her parents. "He stopped nearly every quaffle that I tossed him today!"

"Well, nearly isn't quite there yet," Mr. Parkinson winked at Ron, who blushed. "A little more practice and nothing will get past you, I'm sure."

"Well it's good to see that you two are getting something accomplished." Mrs. Parkinson sipper her wine. "Although you two do spend an awful lot of time alone together."

"I… I'm not doing… I mean…" Ron blushed and stammered.

"Oh, I wasn't _implying_ anything," she laughed. "Only observing that you two might benefit from more social gatherings. Social networking does make the world go around."

"What would you suggest, mother?"

"Well, I was thinking of a formal garden party. Serve tea, pastries – perhaps we could even arrange for some entertainment like a string quartet. And you could invite some of your fellow Slytherins over."

"Really mother?" Pansy gasped. "Could I use the good china?"

"But of course. If it's to be a party, you wouldn't be having your guests use your quotidian fare, would you?"

"And I could get a new dress too?"

"You would both get new outfits," Mrs. Parkinson assured her daughter. "After all, the host and hostess must look their absolute best in order to impress their guests."

The prospect of new clothes caused Pansy to grin. "Doesn't it sound lovely, Ron?"

"Oh! Um, yeah," he nodded enthusiastically. "Sure."

Mr. Parkinson laughed and clapped Ron on the back. "Don't worry, boy. It's something you have to learn to do, but I'm not surprised you'd be reluctant. In fact, I'd be a bit worried if you _weren't_ reluctant to host a tea party."

Unsure of how to respond, Ron looked at the food on his plate and prodded it with his fork before swallowing a bite.

"We'll have it catered, of course," Mrs. Parkinson went on. "There's a new French pastry place that's been getting rave reviews. I shall test it before hand to make sure it's up to standard, but it should do for the spread you'll be serving. And there will be official invitations to send out. A tent to reserve, in case of inclement weather…"

"I have to invite Daphne of course, and Crabbe and Goyle too I suppose, though I shall include strict instructions for the way they are to dress and behave. Blaise will be there, naturally, another first year, although Millicent we can leave off the list…"

As the two females went on, Mr. Parkinson shot Ron a sympathetic look.

"Budge up," he whispered to the boy. "You're going to have to get used to this if you want to be part of the quality. And really, after a while, it isn't so bad."

Numbly, Ron nodded went back to eating the French dish. It wasn't altogether unlike the pot roast that his mother made, although the flavors in this dish were more subtle and nuanced. Again, as he found himself doing so often of late, he had to admit that it was better compared to what he got at home.

Noticing his silence, Pansy stopped and smiled at him.

"We're boring you dreadfully, aren't we?" She asked. Before he could protest, she laughed. "No, that's alright. I understand – boys. Well, to make up for it, since you'll be helping me host a garden party, do you think we could get tickets to a Quidditch game for Ron, daddy?"

"I'm sure we could," Mr. Parkinson replied. "That sounds like a fair trade to me, don't you think so Ron?"

"Yes, sir," he replied, but this time with a sincere smile spreading across his face and a blush going up to the tips of his ears.

Again, he thought. Better.

OOO

That evening, after everybody else had gone home, Theo and Ginny stood by the sink, up to their elbows in suds, washing the dishes. Ginny sighed as she scrubbed and rinsed off another plate.

"This is the worst part of dinner," she grumbled.

"It's not so bad," Theo shrugged. "At least not compared to the time I had to scrub cauldrons out in detention."

Ginny laughed. "What detention was this?'

"I got it for… well… it's a bit embarrassing," he blushed.

"Oh come on, you can tell me. It can't be any worse than some of the things Fred and George have done, blowing up toilets and the like. Unless they're rubbing off on you that much."

"No it was nothing like that. It… it was stupid is what it was."

"That's still not telling," she smiled.

"Alright, fine," he sighed. "I got into a bit of a row with Hermione Granger."

"Who's she?"

"Another Gryffindor, probably the smartest girl in our year. It was the first day of class with Professor Flitwick and we were learning the _wingardium leviosa_ charm. I was paired with Neville and would have gladly helped him out, but she saw fit to intrude and offer advice instead." He grimaced at the recollection. "We both got into a bit of a levitating fight after that. And it ended… well…"

"Yes? Come on," Ginny cajoled.

"It end with us levitating and shattering Flitwick's desk," he replied, face fully red. "We got a detention with Snape scrubbing out cauldrons for that incident."

Ginny laughed so hard she had to stop washing for a moment. Gasping for breath and wiping her eyes with the back of a damp hand, she looked at Theo in disbelief.

"Are you serious?" She grinned.

"Yes," He rolled his eyes. "Unfortunately. It was quite embarrassing."

"This Hermione – she sounds like a bit of a know-it-all."

"She's not so bad, once you get to know her," Theo shrugged.

"Why hasn't she hung out with you more this summer? I mean, I suppose she's welcome if you're friendly with her – and if you promise not to break anything."

"Funny," he elbowed her. "Hermione's a muggle born so she doesn't really frequent a lot of the places we do, like Diagon Alley. I could owl her, I suppose, but I'm not sure if she would be very comfortable with us. I do like to discuss literature with her, though."

"Just a thought," Ginny shrugged. "Although you can discuss literature with us too, you know. Even if we don't always understand, we'll catch up. Speaking of which, do you know what you'll be reading for tomorrow?"

"Another book of the _Iliad_, I think, and then maybe some poetry by Dickenson or Whitman; in keeping with the American theme of the day you know."

"Whatever it is, I'm sure it will be lovely as always," Ginny smiled and Theo blushed.

"If you say so," he murmured.

They rinsed in silence for a few moments, and then Ginny turned to grab the towels to dry the dishes with.

"Draco's birthday is coming up shortly," she observed, wiping out a glass.

"Indeed."

"Do you know what you're going to get him yet?"

"I haven't really given it much thought. Probably something related to animals or something Muggle like a video that he would enjoy. I'll have to consider what he might like."

"I should too. I mean, he'll probably like anything, but I want to put some effort into it, you know?"

Theo nodded. "We'll have to go shopping on a day when Draco's not with us."

"Well, he did mention that he was going to be spending one of the next few days with his Hufflepuff housemates," she pointed out. "That would probably be our best opportunity. We should probably let Harry and Luna know too; I'm sure they'll want to come along. And maybe we could pool our resources and get him something from all of us."

"That would work."

The lapsed into silence again, drying and stacking the dishes. Finally finished they leaned against the sink and Ginny sighed.

"Say, Theo?"

"Yes?"

"What made you become a Gryffindor?" She studied his face.

Nott shrugged. "I don't know, precisely. Well, I suppose I do. I mean, I asked the hat to do so."

"Well then why'd you ask the hat?"

"Oh, lots of reasons, I guess," he replied as they made their way up the steps. "It was going between Slytherin and Ravenclaw and I requested that it split the difference, so to speak. I didn't want to be in Slytherin – Pansy Parkinson made sure of that – and I didn't know anybody in Ravenclaw. But Harry was already sorted into Gryffindor and… well, I suppose I thought that it would be better if we both had a friend than if we were all three of us in separate houses."

She nodded. "No offense, but you do seem like more of a Ravenclaw to me."

"Perhaps. Then again, Hermione is probably the smartest girl in our class and she's a Gryffindor as well."

"If that's true," Ginny observed, "it makes me wonder how reliable the hat is. I mean, what's it really looking for if it doesn't put people in houses that represent their qualities?"

"I think it does," Theo pointed out. "It can be convinced or persuaded a bit. But a person seldom has one set of defining qualities. While some might consider one trait to be the most obvious there can be things inside a person that matter more. Besides," he smiled. "I have to admit that, surprising as it was, the hat knew what it was about with Draco."

"Really?" She laughed. "I know he had a hard time of it at first."

"He did," Nott admitted. "And I'm sorry to say that I shared in a lot of the misapprehensions and stereotypes about Hufflepuffs." Opening the door to his room, he let Ginny walk in first then sat one the bed with her. "But when we needed help in confronting Quirrell, they didn't hesitate to step up and help out a friend."

"Still," Ginny frowned, "I'm not sure that I'd want to be a Hufflepuff."

"Thinking about your sorting already?"

"It is coming up rather quickly," she sighed. "A few short months and Luna and I will be in Hogwarts with you guys." She grinned. "Then we can all get into trouble and have detention together!"

Theo laughed. "I suppose I should resign myself to it; I'm never going to be Head Boy at this rate, though."

"You want to be head boy?" She looked at him, eyes sparkling.

"Maybe," he smirked. "Anyway, I wouldn't worry about sorting too much. I doubt very much that you would ever suffer anything like Ron did; from what I understand, he asked as well. It was no random accident that he ended up in Slytherin, more like the persuasion of the Parkinson girl. Which, oddly enough, demonstrates my point."

"That is…?"

"I wanted to be in Gryffindor, not just because of its reputation, but because Harry was there. Draco had a rough time in Hufflepuff until he got to know Susan and Ernie and Cedric and Hannah, and now he loves his house. Ron was bothered by Draco and by myself, not to mention the twins, but managed to somehow make a connection with Pansy that first day.

"Your house is where your talents can shine _and_ where your friends or people of a like mind are. Strike a good balance between the two, or even better, see if the two match up, and you'll be fine."

"Well then," she said, idly fluffing up a pillow, "I suppose I know where I'll be headed."

"Oh?" He looked at her skeptically. "Telling the future now are we?"

"I'm not afraid of anything," she declared proudly. "And you and Harry are some of the best friends I've ever made." She stood up and went to the door. "I'll see you tomorrow, Theo."

"Good night, Ginny," he replied, shutting the door behind her before preparing himself to go to bed.

OOO

A/N: Fun times those children have. :) Things are moving rather day to day at the moment, but the plot will be picking up soon – and they'll be at Hogwarts before you know it! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and will look forward to the next – it'll be out shortly, I promise. ;)


	12. Asking for It

OOO

"You look like you're studying hard." Remus rinsed the dust of cleaning off of his hands in the kitchen sink while Sirius poured over a book at the table. "Wish I could have gotten you to focus like that back when we were in Hogwarts. What's got you so focused?"

"This book Theo gave me." At Sirius' side was a bowl of corn chips and salsa that he munched on occasionally; Draco had talked him into trying them once and Sirius had gotten easily addicted. "It's harder than I thought it would be and this new wand is taking a bit to get used to."

Remus frowned and leaned against the counter. "Sirius, I shouldn't have to tell you this, but I have some serious misgivings about this plan of yours."

"Why?" He looked up at his friend with sharp eyes. "It's nothing that Nott didn't ask me to do."

"That's precisely my point. He's a twelve year old boy. No matter how 'mature' or 'old for his age' he might be, he doesn't always know what's best for his own welfare. It's up to the adults around him to act like adults and prevent anything bad from happening."

"What are you suggesting? That I would deliberately put Theo in danger?" He turned back to the book. "He's probably right, too, you know. This Legilimency sounds precisely like the sort of dealings that Snape would be involved with. The responsible thing to do is to teach the boys how to defend themselves against possible threats."

"I thought they said that Quirrell was the guilty culprit, not Snape. Snape was trying to protect the stone."

"_This_ time." Sirius' voice dripped suspicion and his jaw clenched. "Besides, who knows where else it might come in handy?" He insinuated.

"At the very least you have to admit that they boy is over-extending himself," Remus sighed. "Practicing by attempting to invade his mind… that's nothing in which a pre-teen boy should take part."

"He _asked_, Remus. Practically pleaded."

"This is why it's up to you to be the wiser of the two and say no. You're the adult Sirius; or at least you are ostensibly. And it would serve you and young Theodore well if you didn't forget that."

Clenching his jaw, Sirius didn't reply and kept scanning his page.

"I'm helping them, Remus," he finally snapped. "I'm helping them to be prepared. You of all people should know how cruel this world can be. I'm only helping to arm them against what is and might be coming."

"If you say so. But I still…"

"Don't like it, I know. You were always such a worrier, Remus. You can't be cautious all the time, you know."

"And you shouldn't be so cavalier with children!" Remus lost his temper for a moment and then turned with a sigh. "This conversation is getting us nowhere and I should get back to cleaning."

"What are you working on? I could give you a hand if need be."

"It's no problem, just one of the upstairs sitting rooms. I can handle it. There's a lot of dust and a bit of a puffskein infestation, but nothing too Dark or awful was stashed there or enchanted to the walls."

"No worries, Remus. We'll pry her off the wall somehow."

"I certain hope so," he replied before heading up the stairs.

OOO

"That," Draco sighed as his finished off a burger and stretched out on the grass, "was delicious."

"I think it went well." Theo took off the apron he'd worn and set it aside.

"A lot better than anything my Uncle Vernon ever grilled; of course, they only gave me the burnt stuff." Harry spread mustard on another bun. "That and he used gas. Wasn't patient enough for coal."

"On that unpleasant note," Ginny piped up, "when do you have to go home, Harry?"

He shrugged. "Honestly? Unless there's been a problem with the lawn, the Dursleys probably don't even notice that I'm still here." He took a bite out of his newly constructed burger. "They were keeping their distance anyway. I made sure not to tell them about the underage magic prohibition so as far as they know, I get angry and they might all end up with tails."

Draco chuckled. "I remember you telling us about your cousin. Did they ever manage to remove it?"

"Only with an operation." Harry grinned at the memory.

"Perhaps that was a bad idea," Luna commented casually as she read Theo's book of poetry upside down. "A tail might be quite useful you know."

"Yes, but a pig's tail is rather short and not nearly as helpful as other tails might be," Theo pointed out with a smile.

"Are you reading that book upside down, Luna?" Ginny quirked an eyebrow.

"It gives me new perspective."

"Doesn't it hurt your eyes, though?"

She shrugged. "I read the Quibbler like this all the time. I'm quite used to it." She closed the book and held it out to Theo. "I suspect you'll be wanting this back, though, now that you're done with the grilling."

"Thanks!" He cheerful took the book from her and began flipping through the pages.

"Besides that poem that you're continuing, what else are you reading?" Harry took a bit out of one of the chocolate chip cookies that Ginny had made.

"You said something American, right?" Ginny added.

"Yes. Whitman. It's a very famous poem of his, about the American President Abraham Lincoln, called 'O Captain, My Captain.'"

"Never heard of it." Draco frowned. "Or of Lincoln, really."

"Of course not." Theo rolled his eyes. "After all, why would a good wizarding education include Muggle history or literature? It's not as though we could _learn_ anything from them or know not to repeat the same mistakes."

"But isn't that exactly what you think?" Luna asked.

"I think he's being sarcastic," Draco whispered and winked.

"You think?" Theo smirked. "I'll skip the lecture, though, and get to the poetry."

"Although it is about as much fun to hear you rant about the inadequacy of the wizard school system," Ginny teased.

"As I was saying!" He cleared his throat and playfully glared before beginning the poem.

OOO

"…of course, you're not invited."

Fred and George were rounding the corner and froze when they heard the sound of the slightly haughty masculine voice. Looking to their left through the stationary shop window, they saw a group of three children near the cardstock.

"Like I'd want to come to any party you held!" The largest of the three retorted.

"Why are you here anyway?" Pansy sniffed. "I didn't know you had anybody to write to."

Frowning, Fred pushed his way into the shop. "Well if it isn't a nasty little piece of traitorous scum," he said casually.

"And to think he claims to be our brother!" George added, joining his twin.

"I never claim that, anymore," Ron snapped. "Nor would I ever."

"He wants nothing to do with you two losers," Pansy retorted. "So why don't you just leave?"

"We have as much right to be in this shop as anybody." Fred advanced towards Ron with slow steps. "Mum cries her eyes out every night over you, you know," he growled.

A pained looked flickered across his face but soon it was set again. "I don't see why. I'm only visiting a friend," he said airily.

"You're only betraying everything our parents tried to teach you." George stepped up to Fred's side. "Don't see why she cries, though – worthless little piece of scum like you, not worth the effort."

"Yes, I'm sure she's much more proud of her two trouble-causing, dropout children," Pansy sneered.

"You know, perhaps our parents didn't give him the _right_ type of education, George."

"You think we might be able to work out that, Fred?"

"I'll be we could. Teach him a lesson he wouldn't soon forget."

Ron blanched and stepped back. "You wouldn't dare."

"Come on Ron." Pansy tugged on his arm. "We have what we need. Leave these wastes of space. They're not worth our time."

"Coward!" Fred shot at Ron's retreating back, but the younger boy didn't even turn around.

"You ever wanted to kill somebody?" Millicent, the girl they had originally been addressing. "For real? You know, just punch them or Crucio them until they stop moving?"

"I must admit," George sighed, "Ron's bringing me dangerously closer to such sentiments."

"They're having a party for all the Slytherin firsties. Excepting me, of course," she snapped bitterly. "It's not like I would even want to go. It's going to be a garden party and all that means is getting dressed up in ridiculous outfits, sitting still for longer than anybody can bear and nibbling on poncy food. It's stupid, is what it is. I wouldn't say yes if they did invite me. Just…"

Fred nodded sympathetically. "You want to go ingredient shopping with us while plotting bloody revenge on Pansy and all of her cohorts?"

"We've almost got a few things perfected you know," George added.

"And we promise that they can be the first guinea pigs."

She managed to crack a tiny smile. "It might brighten up my day a bit."

"Excellent!" Fred clapped her on the back. "We'll meet up with Lee – he's probably waiting for us already – and then we'll let you in on what we've been developing since school let out."

"It's quite exciting you know," George told her. "And like we told Lee, we've been able to work a lot of the problems out thanks to Nott."

"Theo Nott? That swotty Gryffindor first year?" She looked confused. "Didn't think his dad would be the sort to let him hang out with you guys over the summer."

"Probably not. But it doesn't matter," Fred shrugged. "Theo ran away."

"Seriously?" She laughed. "Never thought a boy like him would have the guys to do_that_."

"The details were pretty sketchy," George admitted. "But the point is, he's been living with us since the beginning of summer. Tremendous help he's been when it comes to potions ingredients."

"And when it comes to distracting Mum if need be." Fred grinned as they walked into Florean Fortescues.

"Guys!" Lee stood up from a table. "Where've you been?"

"Ran into our brother along the way. With Pansy Parkinson," Fred informed him.

"Ooh!" Lee winced. "Bet than didn't go well."

"He ran off before anybody could do anything." George shrugged. "So – ingredients first or ice cream?"

"I'm always up for ice cream first." Fred winked at Millicent and she laughed.

"Sounds good to me then," Lee replied as they walked up to the counter. "I didn't know you were going to be joining us today, Millie."

She shrugged. "It was a chance meeting. Ron and Pansy were harassing me when the twins came in. They told me what they were up to and I figured I might as well come along. Don't have anything better to do." She stepped up after Lee and ordered a bowl of raspberry chocolate truffle.

"You should hang out with us more often," Fred commented. "Or with the other guys. Draco and Nott and our sister and all that lot have been having picnics all the time. I'm sure they wouldn't mind you coming along."

"Picnics? Seriously?" She sat down with her ice cream and scraped it with her spoon. "What prompted that?"

"A desire to get out of the house," George replied. "Theo's been reading poetry too from what I hear."

Millicent laughed out loud. "Again – seriously?"

"Theo takes education_very_ seriously," Fred told her in a grave voice.

"I don't know," she continued to chuckle as she spooned up the ice cream. "All that being outside might give me hay fever. I would like the cooking part of it though." She at a little more then looked at them thoughtfully. "You know, if you like, I could try and help out with some of your products. I'm not much for potions and all that but I do know something about candy making."

"Where'd you learn that?" George took a bit out of his cone.

"My dad is into all that sort of stuff, actually. Real domestic, strange as that might sound. He makes amazing caramels, you know."

Fred nodded. "So your dad is a Muggle then?"

"Nope. He's the wizard in the family. Mum's the Muggle. She works while my dad keeps things together at home."

"What does she do?" Lee asked as he scraped the bottom of the bowl.

A slight blush tinged Millicent's cheek. "You promise not to laugh?"

"Of course!" George replied immediately.

"A little at most," Fred tacked on.

"Very little!"

"Hardly at all!"

"Entirely depending on what you say."

"Stuff it, you two!" Lee rapped them with his spoon. "What's your mom do?"

"She's a plumber," Millicent mumbled very quickly.

"A _plumber_?" Fred repeated.

"Yeah, I know. It's…"

"Awesome!" George interrupted. "What's the craziest think she's ever pulled out of somebody's pipes?"

"You think she could steal toilet seats for us to mail?"

"Has she ever hit anybody over the head with a wrench?"

Millicent's blush grew deeper. "You'd have to ask her. Anyway – getting back to what I said before – my dad has a lot of books on candy cooking plus equipment like thermometers and stuff. As long as I get to use it on Pansy, I'll be glad to help."

"Sounds good to me." George grinned at her.

"Welcome on board our little venture, then!" Fred sat back with a smile. "And maybe we'll get to meet your mom someday?"

"Maybe." She smirked and licked the last of her ice cream off her spoon.

"Ingredients?" Lee stood up from the table.

"Ingredients!" George affirmed. "Onward, ho!"

OOO

As Draco and Harry were preparing to leave, Theo pulled Harry aside for a moment while Draco fed the last of the ground chuck to Tywyll.

"What's up, Nott?"

"Draco's birthday is coming up soon," Nott began, "and Ginny and I were thinking that maybe we could all go present shopping for him some time soon."

"I take it you have an idea of a time in mind?"

Nott nodded. "He's going to be hanging out with the Hufflepuffs pretty soon, right?"

"That's the plan."

"Well, if you let him go alone and come along with us, we could all get something for him that would be a surprise."

"Makes sense. Alright then, I'm in, I suppose." He looked over at the girls who were still lounging on the grass. "Will Luna be coming too?"

"Ginny already talked to her about it. She agreed."

Harry nodded. "Do you have any idea of what to get him?"

"Luna thought he might like something living. He probably would although I'm not certain that it's such a good idea. Apart from that, we have no real plan. I'm sure we'll come up with something, though."

"I'll give it some thought." He glanced over at Draco who was finishing cinching his saddle. "Anyway, it looks like Draco's about ready to go. I should probably head over there."

"See you later."

"Later." He gave him a last smile and wave before joining Draco.

OOO

Narcissa watched from the foot of the steps as Harry and Draco raced each other up.

"Remember to bathe before you go to bed!" She called up after them.

"We will, mum!" Draco's voice came from a distance down the hallway.

Sighing, Narcissa turned to her husband. "Boys."

"They will be boys," Lucius replied with a smirk.

"Their clothes are an absolute horror," Narcissa remarked as she sat down at the table and motioned for one of the elves to bring her a cup of tea. "The house elves can barely remove the grass stains. And don't you think Draco's hair is getting a bit long and unruly?"

"Not as long as mine," he pointed out with a smile.

"Yes, but you keep yours neat, combed and pulled back." Her lips curved and she walked around the table to stroke his ponytail. "Draco's, however, is entirely rumpled and wild."

Lucius shrugged. "If that's how he likes it, I don't see a problem with it."

"What?" She kissed his head and sat back down. "You don't mind your son looking utterly unkempt?"

"He'll grow out of it," Lucius told her with another shrug.

"You know his birthday is coming up."

"Of course I know dear – I was there too, you know."

"Yes, although I believe our memories of the event are quite different," she teased. "What do you think we should do to celebrate it?"

"Shouldn't we do the same thing we've always done?" Lucius sipped his tea. "Is there any reason to change that?"

"I hardly think an official party would be Draco's style, dear. In case you haven't noticed. He's not friends with many of our circle. Besides, he would be bored at a party with mostly adults."

"Well, then, think of what he would like. You're the one who's so good at planning these things."

She sighed. "Fine then. He shall have his own party, and then when the house is overrun with mudbloods, what will you think?"

"Dear, I'm sure he isn't…"

"Don't be too sure of anything, Lucius," she interrupted. "He is not altogether like us, this son of ours."

Sighing, Lucius put down the teacup. "Very well then. Suppose we take him out for a birthday dinner, just the three of us. Then he may go and do whatever with whomever the following day or earlier that day. Whatever you please. We do not have to ask him who he consorted with, he does not have to tell us and Malfoy Manor does not have to play host to anything… unbefitting."

"This is your compromise?"

"What else would you have me do?" He frowned. "Mudbloods though… surely not."

"One never knows," Narcissa hinted ominously. "Regardless. Have you given any thought about what to get him as a gift? I've picked up a few small things, but nothing too expensive."

Lucius laughed. "That's the thing of it. I asked him and – listen to this – he said that the best birthday present I could give him would be for me to accept a gift and give it a chance."

"Something Muggle I'm assuming?" Narcissa frowned.

"I suppose. He wouldn't tell me what; said that he wanted it to be a surprise."

"If it makes him happy, I suppose it couldn't hurt. After all, it isn't as though it would really change anything," she reasoned.

"Of course not. It's a fool's errand but if it cheers him up…" Lucius shrugged. "I don't suppose there's any harm in it. Someday, hopefully, he'll look back and laugh on how ridiculous all of it was."

Privately Narcissa had her doubts but she didn't voice them to Lucius. She loved him deeply, but he always did have an unfortunate propensity for unshakeable self-delusion in certain situations.

"I'm going to go upstairs and make sure the boys are getting to bed. Alright?"

"Of course dear. I'll be waiting in my study."

OOO

A/N: A new chapter in under a week? Gasp! Shock! Impossible! And there's an extra Valentine's Day surprise too. If you look in my Author profile, under 'homepage' there's a link to a DeviantArt page.

I have indeed come up with and generally settled on a number of couples. There's an outside chance that a few that I've settled on might change, but these will most likely be it. At the very least they will appear at some point in the story. And until the end of February, you can see an artwork which hints at what the couples to come will be. Basically the artwork is a faux CD mix. Each song represents one couple (save for one couple which made it on there twice).

So if you would like a few clues about what is to come, check it out. ;) It won't be up forever, though. And if you feel like guessing… go right ahead. I might be in a generous and hinting mood.

MD: The Romance Mix – look it up if you like and the next chapter will be out quickly (though probably not as quickly as this one was).


	13. Party Preparations

OOO

"Say Draco? You know how you're going to hang out with Susan and the 'Puffs?" Days later, after another picnic, Draco's birthday was nearly upon them. As they got ready for bed, Harry played with a Quidditch action figure while Draco buttoned up his pajama top.

"That sounds like the name of a band; but never mind that. Let me guess – you want out of it?"

Harry flashed him a grin. "How'd you know?"

"Psychic." Draco winked. "But not really. I heard you guys talking about my present a few days ago – you weren't exactly subtle you know. And that's fine. I promise not to peek at any packages you bring back or harass you about it."

"Can't argue with that I suppose."

"It better be good, though," Draco teased. "It's not every day that a boy turns twelve. Last year before I become a rotten teenager and all that." He pulled on his pajama pants and glanced at Dobby, who was in the corner putting freshly cleaned clothes into the drawer. "Say Dobby? Do House Elves have birthdays?"

"Oh yes, young master. But we don't celebrate them." He closed the drawer. "Wouldn't be right, giving ourselves airs." He didn't elaborate but seemed vaguely disappointed by this.

Draco grinned a little, patting the covers so that Dragon jumped up on them. "When's yours, Dobby?"

Dobby flushed. "Why would young master be wanting such information?"

"Come off it, Dobby. You know I like you. Maybe I want to give you something."

"Yeah." Harry nodded to back up him. "Let us know and we can celebrate it."

"Cake and everything. Promise."

"Young masters Potter and Malfoy are too good!" He wailed all of a sudden, hugging Draco first and then Harry.

"You haven't even told us when it is yet!" Draco laughed and gasped for breath after he let go.

"June 28th, master," he answered with a deepening blush.

"Near mine, then."

"Yes, young master." He shifted his feet. "Dobby has work he must be doing." He crept towards the door and, one small hand on the frame, turned back. "Young master doesn't have to be giving Dobby anything; but Dobby knows he is stubborn. Do remember master – you aren't supposed to be giving clothing. Anything but that."

Draco's smile wavered but he nodded. "I'll remember."

Dobby vanished with a crack and Harry sighed.

"Guess I'd better get to my own bed."

"Only if you want to get any sleep tonight. Remember, you have a couple of very important days coming up and starting tomorrow." Draco's smile broadened again. "I mean, you will be picking out _my_ present; and that takes some care."

"To be honest, I think Luna knows what to get already. She said something to Ginny about… well, you'll see, I guess, when the time is right. But it is getting late, so I'm off."

He shut the door and disappeared down the hall, leaving Draco alone save for Dragon. Giving the dog one last, fond pat, Draco puffed out the candle on his bedside table and immersed them both in darkness.

OOO

The following evening, when they returned, Harry noticed immediately that Draco was somewhat out of sorts but Draco whispered to him to wait until after dinner to talk. Draco pulled him up to his room, shut the door firmly and threw himself onto his bed, exasperated.

"What is the point," he drawled, "of having a secret if it isn't actually secret from anybody?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Susan _knows_."

"Knows?"

"About Dragon!" Draco retorted impatiently but quietly. "Do I have to spell it out for you?"

"Susan?" Harry frowned. "How'd she figure it out?"

"She was at the Ministry," Draco whispered, "and overheard some stuff and wanted to ask me to confirm. By this time she'd already told Hannah too, of course."

"And Ernie?"

"Well we very well couldn't keep it from him too, could we? Not if Susan and Hannah knew."

"They don't seem like the type to talk though. I mean, that's part of why you got into Hufflepuff, isn't it? Dependability in keeping secrets and all that?"

"That's not the point." Draco rolled his eyes as if he couldn't believe Harry was being so dense. "The point is… point is that you know the saying three can keep a secret if two are dead? By my count we're almost up to _ten_. And that's not including adults."

"I'm sure it will be fine." Harry gave him a reassuring pat. "I mean, it's not like the rest of your housemates are going to be involved in any serious conversations with your parents anytime soon, is it? And you did tell them not to tell, right?"

"Of _course_ I told them to keep quiet. Just… argh!" He stood up impatiently and paced. "I thought I was better at keeping things quiet than this."

"You're worrying too much," Harry laughed. "Yes, it's a good number of people. But nobody we can't trust. And that's important isn't it?" His shoulders rose and fell in a casual gesture. "I think it's a positive sign. Means we have more close friends."

"I guess. I'm still nervous. I mean, you can talk about friends and trust and all. They aren't _your_ parents."

"Fair enough," Harry conceded.

Draco took out his own wizard chess set and they began a casual game, each more interested in prodding their pieces to shout at one another than making any actual progress towards winning.

"Theo would have had this game sewn shut already, you know." Harry watched his knight make a rude gesture at Draco's rook.

"Ernie too." Draco sighed. "Can't focus though."

"Still worried about things? About your parents?"

"Yeah. We're going out tomorrow, you know. I convinced my dad to step out into Muggle London for a moment in lieu of a present, before we go out to dinner. Thought I'd get him to try something new, see if he likes it." He shrugged as he traded pawns with Harry. "Don't suppose it will be any use. He's probably too set in his ways for anything Muggle to have any shot at amusing him. But hope springs eternal and all that good stuff that's in Theo's poems."

"You'll get to have a party with us the day after, though. And that will be fun." Harry grinned as his bishop took another pawn. "Mrs. Weasley is already planning the cake. It's probably going to be about five stories high. And your present…" He chuckled and leaned across the board to pat Draco's shoulder. "Don't know if your parents will like it. But I'm betting you will."

"With a description like that, I don't know how I'll get any rest." Draco returned the smile. "Can't I have even a little hint?"

"I thought we agreed no hints?"

"Oh, come _on_. Just a little one…" He motioned for a rook to move.

"Absolutely not! We agreed. Not even a little one. And it's no use looking at me like that, Draco – I'm not going to tell. I'm not your mum; don't think you can use that look on me."

"I was hoping…"

"Then sorry to disappoint, but no."

"Come on, Harry, be fair! Not even a tiny, miniscule, barely understandable hint?"

"Look down."

Draco saw his king backed into a corner and threw his hands up in defeat. "I just can't win tonight!"

"And since that's game, I think I'm going to bed." He stood up from the game board and backed out into the hallway. "End of discussion," he finished with a wink.

"Argh!" Draco looked over at Dragon. "Life is really unfair sometimes, you know that?" Then he sighed. "I suppose you do. I do wish Harry had given me at least something to go on, though. Now I'll be up all night thinking about it," he grumbled as he stood and went to go brush his teeth.

OOO

Ron sat next to Pansy on the lawn and watched as a number of wizards levitated a tent into position. The sun warmed his skin and, laying down on the grass, he felt like he could easily fall asleep.

"Pleasant, isn't it?" Pansy murmured beside him.

"Peace and quiet… it's a nice change. And I like it here. It's very refreshing."

"Bath is a lovely place. People come here for the atmosphere, you know."

"And the weather will be alright for the party tomorrow?"

"Clear as crystal. It will be a beautiful day."

"Assuming nothing goes wrong…"

"And what could?" She laughed. "Trust me Ron, it will be absolutely iridescent." She stood up and brushed bits of grass off of her skirt. "Now, come along, before we get sweaty or dirty. The men can finish up out here. And we need to try on our outfits for tomorrow, to make sure that they fit for the party."

Ron was not particularly eager to have to sit still for an extended length of time and be poked with a bunch of pins, but he dutifully followed. He hadn't even really seen his outfit yet. Pansy had taken his measurements before they went out shopping then purchased clothing for him while he spent time looking at the latest in broomsticks.

When he got inside and put it own, however, he had to admit – he was impressed. Even without the precise fitting, he could tell it suited him much better than even the nicest clothes he'd borrowed for their dancing lessons. Beneath there was a white shirt, immaculately white. Over this was a vest that came down and cut away in the front with a lengthy tail in the back. This matched the pants; both where a deep green, trimmed with silver, with a snake motif embroidered in green into the cuffs of the shirt and in silver along the edges of the vest.

"Striking," Pansy murmured when she glimpsed him from the door, a billowy green dress in her arms. "It sets off your hair perfectly. You will be the talk of the party."

"Thanks," he managed to squeak, still entranced by his own reflection as Mrs. Parkinson went around him, making little adjustments.

"There!" She declared with a wave of her wand a while later. "I'll make the final adjustments and it should fit perfectly for the party."

"Thanks Mrs. Parkinson," he murmured.

"Looks like a proper Slytherin prince, doesn't he?" Pansy was now changed into her own dress, a floaty confection that sparkled, gauze and taffeta shot through with silver.

"Indeed he does," Mrs. Parkinson smiled while Ron blushed and stumbled off to change back into his every day clothes. "Now come dear and I'll fix you up too." She leaned into her daughters each. "Didn't I teach you well, darling?" She whispered.

"Of course, mother," Pansy smiled. "And this is only after a short while. I admit, even I was a bit skeptical at first. But he was willing and I must admit – he really does seem to have potential."

"As long as you have things well in hand, though, you should take care not to neglect others. Keep your options open." She marked a place on the dress to take it. "That Zabini boy, for instance…"

"Blaise?" Pansy chuckled. "Narcissist."

"And this is a bad trait?"

"He would never pay attention to _me_."

Mrs. Parkinson couldn't resist laughing. "Fair enough, darling. Fair enough."

OOO

"It was lovely of you to come over to help with the cake, Luna dear." Mrs. Weasley removed another layer of the cake from the oven and went over to where Theo was mixing icing to inspect. "A little more yellow, I think, dear. We want the color to be nice and deep." She set the cake on the table and turned to Luna. "As I was saying, we don't see near enough of you. You live so close but you children are always off on your own, I never get to see you! And how is your father?"

"Daddy is very busy," Luna informed her as she swirled black icing with yellow on top of another layer of cake. "He has a lot to do with editing the paper. And he's planning a special on erumpets that he's got to do research for."

"Well that's… lovely." Mrs. Weasley gave her a smile and looked at Theo with a raised eyebrow; he only shrugged in return with a bemused expression. "Where is Ginny, by the way?"

"She wanted to read a book or two of mine so she's probably off doing that." Theo began icing a layer of his own. "I didn't think it would be a problem. Too many books and all that."

"Oh, it isn't. I was just wondering – hard to keep track of everybody you know," Mrs. Weasley sighed as she wiped her hands off on her apron. "Well, I think all the cake we'll need is baked and you two have been doing a lovely job of icing it. I suppose all that's left is to make sure all the layers are in place and put in some candles!"

"I brought flowers too," Luna interjected modestly. "From my mother's garden. I thought we could arrange them around the cake."

"What a lovely thought! Yes, I think that would work quite well." She clapped her hands together. "Well then, let's get this cake finished!"

Ginny came down the stairs not long after, a copy of the _Inferno_ in hand. "They, I have your… whoa."

In front of her was a two foot high stack of cake, some chocolate some yellow, iced in yellow and black swirls with what seemed to be a badger on the top of it. Candles were sticking out of various places in it and all around it was flanked with yellow hyacinth blossoms.

"Think he'll like it?" Theo grinned.

"I… I think so," Ginny nodded, awed. "He'll like the present better, though."

Theo burst out laughing and Mrs. Weasley looked at them strangely.

"Present? You didn't bring anything home the other day. What did you get him? Can I see it?"

"Oh it's a Luna's house for now. It's a surprise – but let's just say we had a little help from Hagrid." Theo winked and Ginny and Luna traded looks and giggled.

"You three…" Mrs. Weasley looked at them suspiciously.

"Four," Theo corrected. "Harry helped too; so remember that when you see it tomorrow. Oh! And he'll be staying here tonight – Draco has his birthday dinner with his parents."

She sighed. "Why do I have the feeling this birthday surprise is going to give me a heart attack?"

"You'll see, mum!" Ginny laughed then gave Theo the book. "It was fun – but do you want to go out and play a little Quidditch in the back yard until Harry gets here?'

"I want to commentate!" Luna volunteered as they ran out the door.

OOO

"I was under the impression that _you_ would be the one interacting with the… the Muggles," Mr. Malfoy finished tersely as he gave his son a withering look.

"No, I said you would. Now come on, dad, you can do this!" He forced a smile. "You just go in and talk like you would to anybody else that you know. It's just the same, really it is."

A strained silence passed between them as Lucius continued to glare and Draco struggled to keep smiling. With a frustrated sigh, Lucius relented.

"This is only because it is your birthday, you understand?" He fingered the sleeve of his 'normal' suit contemptuously.

"I know, I know."

"Do not think that I will be doing this on any sort of regular basis – or, in fact, ever again."

"I know dad. And thank you. This means a lot to me."

"You'd better appreciate it!" Lucius snapped and turned to the door of the bookstore. He hesitated and looked at Draco, who gave him an encouraging nod, and then walked in.

A young teenage sporting blond hair with pink highlights was standing behind the counter looking bored. She snapped to attention when the bell above the door rang and plastered a smile on her face.

"Can I help you with something, sir?"

"Yes." He walked towards the counter with measured steps. "I am supposed to ask you for a book on football."

"Oh. Well, did you have a team in mind or anything?"

"No." A muscle in his jaw twitched. "A book on football. Only that."

"Well, um, ok… I think we might have something, let me look. I'm pretty sure. So you want like a book for beginners or something, explaining it or what?"

"That will suffice!" He snapped.

"Geez…" She grumbled then searched the rack of books, frowned, and then went back into the stockroom. She emerged a few minutes later with a volume in hand. "Here you are! Took a bit but I finally found something on football."

He stood in silence as she checked it out and paid for it with a glare, snatching the bag from her grasp the moment the book and receipt were in it.

"Well don't say thank you," she muttered the moment he was out the door.

"Claire?" A woman stepped out from the music section. "Did I hear something?"

"Customer. Real weird one too. Nasty as anything – and did you see his hair and cane?" She laughed. "Looked like a pimp or something. The cane was a snake, too, I think. Wanted a book on football. It took me a bit, but I found one."

"Took you a bit?" The woman looked confused. "We have a huge section on it, right over there."

The girl's face fell. "Oh. Uh… whoops?"

The elder woman sighed. "You've been here how long? You can't keep confusing things like this!"

"Well how was I supposed to know he meant soccer? I mean… well, you know what I mean. It's only been a couple of months, I'll get the hang of it. Besides, he'll probably return it when he realizes it's not the sport he wants. That'll mean dealing with him again, unfortunately, but I guess that's my fault."

"Just make sure it doesn't happen again. Alright?"

"I'll remember. Promise."

Outside Lucius walked away stonily with his son.

"Did you get a book?" Draco looked at his father.

"Yes."

"Did you _look_ at it?" He asked hesitantly.

"There will be plenty of time to browse it in the privacy of our home!" Lucius told him in an angry tone. "Which I suggest we return to before anybody sees me with this bag."

"Alright," Draco sighed.

Best he could hope for, really, he thought. Might as well get dressed for the evening and make the most of the night.

OOO

A/N: Next chapter – the parties. Complete with a surprise present (that isn't _really_ a surprise if you think about it…)! And the results of that long ago quiz finally begin to become apparent. :)

Also – for those of you interested – the 'romance mix' art is still up for a few more days. Check it out if you want a hint or seven because by March 1, it'll be gone. ;) I hope you enjoyed, if you did I wouldn't mind a review – always appreciated – and as usual the next chapter will be out very shortly.


	14. Brightest Before the Night

OOO

"I don't suppose he'll be back until late," Narcissa sighed after Draco had flooed away.

"Probably not." Lucius grimaced and poured himself a drink. "At least we had last night to spend as a family. His sense of familial obligation isn't gone yet, even if his sense of decorum is."

"What about that present he gave you? Have you looked at it yet?"

"That ridiculous book? Of course not. It's gathering dust in a drawer in my study."

"You did promise Lucius."

"I did. But I never specified a time." He smirked and sipped his scotch. "Besides, Draco knows how I feel about that. Oh, I suppose I'll read it eventually, to make him happy. In private, of course. But for now – Draco is gone and I think we have better ways to spend our time, Mrs. Malfoy."

"That we do," she replied, walking over and kissing him. "That we do."

OOO

"Another slice Draco dear?" Mrs. Weasley tried to pass a plate with cake on it towards him but he shook his head.

"I don't think I can. At least not now. If I eat another bite right now I think I'm going to burst."

"I'll take it!" Fred swooped down and snatched the cake out of his mother's hands then went back over to sit with his twin and Millicent, who had been invited for the day.

"Is there anymore ice cream left, mum?" Ginny asked, scraping icing off of her plate.

"Do you want the chocolate or the strawberry? I'm afraid we're out of the vanilla."

"I'll take the strawberry then," she said, passing down a bowl.

"So do you want your present now?" Harry grinned.

"Yes!" Draco bolted upright and practically shouted. "I've been waiting all day!"

"You kept fidgeting during Nott's reading," Luna pointed out with a dreamy smile.

"Yes, I saw that." Nott glared at him. "You could pay a _little_ attention."

Millicent snorted. "I can't believe you guys have been spending all summer reading."

"It's education! Improves your mind," Nott replied icily with an affronted air.

"Besides, it's pretty good stuff once you get into it." Ginny grinned and licked ice cream off of her spoon. "I though the part with Hektor scaring his little boy was just too cute."

"And I think we're all forgetting something very important," Draco interrupted patiently. "Present?!"

"Alright, alright," Harry sighed and took a bandanna out of his pocket.

"What's that for?" Draco regarded him with suspicion.

"We need to cover your eyes," Harry explained, unfolding the fabric. "Alright?"

"You couldn't have just wrapped it?" Draco grumbled as Harry knotted it behind his head.

"It's a bit big for that," Ginny giggled.

"A bit big?" Her mother looked over in alarm and suspicion. "What on earth did you get him?"

"You'll see!" She replied.

"Well my eyes are covered. Can I get it now?"

"Sure thing." Harry clapped him on the shoulder. "It should be right outside."

"Daddy agreed to bring it over while we had the party," Luna explained. "So you wouldn't see."

"You wouldn't believe what a pain it was getting it here from Hogwarts though," Theo grumbled as he opened up the door for Draco.

"From Hogwarts? What on earth did you get me?" Draco stepped outside unsteadily.

"Take off the bandanna and see for yourself," Harry replied.

Draco yanked away the fabric and stared at the sight in front of him, first in disbelief and then in ecstasy.

"Oh my goodness," Mrs. Weasley gasped.

"Fluffy!" Draco cried, bounding over to the three-headed dog that was blocking the path up to the house. He buried his face in the dog's fur while Dragon padded up to him. "I can't believe you guys! How come he isn't trying to rip my head off?"

"Apart from the fact that you're you, we got him a special collar," Nott explained. "It plays music for him so that he'll always stay calm."

"Then why can't I hear it?" Draco scratched the dog.

"It's playing at a frequency that only dogs can hear. So he stays calm and you don't have to hear Beethoven's _Moonlight Sonata_ on loop every time you want to play with him."

"We got you this too." Luna handed him a bright yellow kickball. "It's big enough and light enough that you can play! And it's enchanted so that he won't pop it by biting it."

"Excellent!" Draco laughed, tossed the ball into the air experimentally, and then kicked it into the field across from the Burrow. The beast bounded after the ball and returned with it in the second head. When he dropped it in front of Draco, the toy was slick with slobber, but he only wiped it off on the grass and then kicked it away again.

"Knew you'd like it!" Ginny nudged him.

"I love it!" He couldn't erase the smile that had spread across his face. "This is the best birthday present ever! How did you guys know? What made you think of it?"

"Luna's idea," Nott said as the dog returned the second time. "We went to Hogwarts, asked Hagrid what was going to be done with the dog. He said something about a nature preserve in Greece but we assured him that your woods would be a perfect place for a dog like this – and that you would be a perfect caretaker when you were around."

"And when he's not?" Mrs. Weasley look at the group of them with a furious glint in her eye and the twins motioned for Millicent, who was now petting the dog along with Harry and Luna, to back away. "And what about his parents? And getting it back to his home in the first place? I can't believe you children would just go out and get him something so… so…"

"Irresponsible?" Nott suggested.

"Don't give her help!" Fred hissed through clenched teeth.

"How are you going to get that thing home?" She asked the children in general, gesturing to the hound that was licking Harry and Draco simultaneously.

"Portkey," Nott answered promptly. "Got Dumbledore to help with that one. It will take Fluffy there to a nice big cave far back on the Malfoy property the moment the dog – or anybody touching the dog – touches it."

The matronly red-head sighed. "You are going to get in over your heads one day if you're not careful."

"Not today though." Ginny picked up the kickball. "Come on! Let's see how far he'll go to fetch it!"

OOO

"I think I was rather impressive out there!" Ron helped Pansy gather up the china plates after all the guests were gone. The girl had explained that they would have the elves do it, but her mother was very particular about these plates. They had been a wedding gift from her mother and she didn't want to see them broken.

"Your dancing was a dream," she assured him.

"Crabbe's however…" He trailed off into laughter in which Pansy joined him.

"Well, he always was a lost cause."

"Tell me about it! Daphne's feet are going to be black and blue for a week."

"Poor girl, she really does deserve better. I do hope that this year's crop of Slytherins will bring in a few more… high caliber students, shall we say. It would be our rotten luck to end up in a class with the likes of Crabbe, Goyle and that cow Bulstrode. At least Crabbe and Goyle are… you know."

Ron, still somewhat uncomfortable, kept silent. "So I hear Daphne's got a younger sister?" He hoped his changing of the subject wasn't _too_ obvious.

"Yes, Astoria. She was here for a short while but I believe mother took her in to floo her back home. Felt a bit out of place, or so she said. I do hope that will dissipate once she gets to know her housemates better. She can't expect to be a proper Slytherin and not socially network."

"Speaking of which – who was that guy talking to everybody?"

"Him?" Pansy's mouth twisted into a wry smile. "That was Horace Slughorn. Former head of Slytherin house, used to teach potions at the school."

"Really? Wish we had him instead of Snape."

Pansy nodded. "Mother says he was no where near as difficult. We might learn more with Snape but I certainly don't enjoy it."

"Why was he here with the parents anyway? He doesn't have a kid in our year."

"No, but he keeps tabs on many of the more successful Slytherin alumni that he taught." She gave a punctuated laughed. "Calls them his 'Slug Club' or some such nonsense – or at least that was the name for it back in school. Now there is a man who knows how to network. With all sorts even – including the other houses. The Gryffindor bit doesn't sit well with some but he's well connected enough that most would rather not make an issue of it." Setting a stack of plates aside, she poured herself a watery glass of lemonade, warm now that most of the ice had melted.

"He visits alumni? Really? Does he visit the Malfoys?"

She shook her head. "Dad says he soured on Draco's father after the trial."

"Wasn't he cleared?"

Pansy smirked over the rim of her glass. "Technically? Yes. But as mother always says – where there's smoke, there's fire. Regardless, Horace Slughorn is much too shrew to take a chance. More brains by half than that idiot minister we have – though he's substantially lazier too."

"And your dad?" Ron asked in a guarded tone.

"Keeps his opinions to himself and does his best for us. Really, what more could you want in a father? Better that than an embarrassment," she said in a lofty tone. Then, noticing the look on Ron's face, she added darkly, "Or a careless power-monger who might not come home at night."

"Yeah. I guess." He sighed. "We'd better get these dishes back in before it gets dark."

Pansy nodded then picked up the stack again and took them in to the sink, setting them down for her mother to clean.

OOO

"Where's Lupin?" Ginny asked when they stepped out of the fireplace.

"I think he said something about running errands," Theo explained. "And I see Draco and Harry aren't here yet."

"If we give them time, I'm sure they'll show," she reassured him.

"I hope so. I'm tired of waiting – school is getting closer and it's time we learned this before we have to go back and face Snape again."

"Well, I think I'm only going to watch," she explained nervously. "I mean, it sounds pretty rough."

"It can't be that bad," Nott reasoned. "I mean, it's not a skill people commonly train but there's nothing in the literature I read about there being excess pain or anything like that."

"It messes with your mind though," she pointed out. "That's not very… I don't know."

"Better than having Snape mess with it."

"Yes but… well, the Stone is gone now. And he wasn't even the one trying to get it. I don't understand why you have to do this _now_. Couldn't it wait, at least until you're a little bit older?"

"You'll understand when you meet him this fall," Nott explained then fell silent. Harry and Draco came through the fireplace ten minutes later, followed by Sirius who apparated directly into the room.

"Been studying," Sirius told them with a forced grin on his face. "Think I just about have this down. Should be able to train with you lot, no problem. So," he said in a voice that was slightly too loud, betraying his anxiety, "who wants to go first?"

"I will," Nott replied immediately. "My idea, my books… besides," he said, giving Draco and Harry a lopsided grin, "I think this is the type of exercise that I might pick up more easily than you two."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Draco bristled.

"Nothing negative. Only that you wear your hearts on your sleeves, so to speak. Occlumency requires the ability to suppress thoughts and feelings in order to prevent the legilimens from reading them. Besides, you'll get a chance. Just watch for now and see if you can pick anything up."

He took his place and stood across from Sirius as the older man took a deep breath and lifted his wand.

"Brace yourself," he whispered before murmuring the incantation.

A shudder of sensation ripped through both of them, causing Ginny to gasp from the side. Sirius' eyes grew wide as he mentally watched snatches of scenes unfold before him. A boy standing in a room, a woman on a bed, a man in a room and the boy again. Whispered words, a scent that he couldn't place and then a flash of a spell being fired.

In his minds eye, Theo could feel something breaking, something coming apart. The last vestiges of something that had been wearing away. You could deny it, pretend it wasn't there, but you could only hide for so long. Things came out in the end, they always did and now they knew… He issued a strangled cry and fell to the floor.

"I told him this was a bad idea," Ginny burst out in fury and concern, and then turned away.

"Theo?" Draco and Harry ran over to him and knelt by his side.

"Did I hurt you?" Sirius lowered his wand and rushed over as well.

Theo sucked in deep breaths and stared at the floor, not responding to any of them. Dismayed, Draco gave him a light shake.

"Theo?"

"Get away from me!" He screamed at the top of his lungs and ran up the stairs.

Draco followed him into one of the upper parlors, one that had a floo fireplace as well. He caught a sight of Theo disappearing just as the flames were dying down, but couldn't catch him. With a sigh, he went back down, meeting the others on the stairs.

"Where's Theo?" Sirius asked.

"Gone," Draco muttered.

"I'll check where." Sirius pushed past him, going up to check the location of the last floo.

"I told him," Ginny sighed again.

"What do you think triggered that?" Harry wondered.

"I don't know, but I'm not doing this." Draco shook his head. "I'm starting to think this was all a bad idea."

"That's what Lupin said." Harry muttered.

"And me!" Ginny looked at them. "Theo… he tries too hard!" She looked pained. "He always wants to do more and advance further and read more and… I don't think he was ready! I don't think any of us would be."

Sirius re-entered then, breathing heavily.

"He went back to your house," he said, nodding to Ginny. "But that's all I know."

"I'll go and check on him." She looked at Harry and Draco. "You two had better get home. Theo seemed pretty upset and I'm guessing that the fewer who see him, the better, at least for now. I'll send you an owl as soon as possible."

"Alright," Draco nodded. "But remember – leave Sirius out of this."

"I'll try. But how do we explain…?"

"Make something up!" He retorted, agitated. "But leave him out of this! My parents can't find out about this and the fewer who know about Sirius…"

"… the better," she finished. "I know. Look, Theo…"

"Go." Draco sighed as she went through the fireplace.

"What happened?" Harry asked Sirius once he was gone. "Did you see anything weird?"

Sirius shrugged. "It's hard for me to know since I don't have much occlumency experience. It felt like I was pushing up against a wall at first, and then it gave and I saw all these images. Nothing weird; I think it might have been Theo when he was younger. But nothing that seemed particularly traumatic. I mean, I think one memory was of his mother, but that's all I could think of."

"Perhaps it was her death?" Draco suggested. "It's the reason he can see Thestrals you know. I mean, I wouldn't relish having to live through it again. It's probably different from regular memory isn't it?"

He nodded. "Much more vivid, like you're actually there."

"Then maybe that is it," Harry agreed. "If it is, that's an argument for me to never learn."

"What do you mean?" Draco turned towards him.

"Think of what I might remember. Things that happened when I was a baby? That sort of thing?" He muttered.

"Oh. Yeah. Well… I don't know. Maybe it gets easier when you're older?"

"Maybe it was just me," Sirius sighed. "I'm sure there are better teachers out there."

"But probably not ones willing to do this," Draco pointed out.

"I know. And now I'm going to have to tell Remus that he was right all along, that this was probably a terrible idea."

"Well, let's wait and see how Theo is. Maybe he was just unused to it since it was his first time on the end of the spell. Freshness of the memory and all that. Give him a day or two and he might be perfectly alright."

His voice betrayed his doubt, however, and as they left, each shared a sense that things had changed and that whatever had happened in Grimmauld place would not easily be forgotten or undone.

OOO

Ginny knocked lightly on the door.

"Theo?" When there was no response, she opened the door and saw him sitting on the bed, tears still streaming down his face. "Theo, are you…"

"Leave me alone," he whispered in a thick voice. "Is that too much to ask?"

She stood there for a moment, looking at him and feeling terribly shut out. Then she left the way she came, shutting the door behind her. Her mother met her on the steps, looking worried.

"Was Theo crying?" She asked. "Did you have a fight?"

"He needs some alone time," Ginny told her without explaining further. "That's all. Leave him alone and I'm sure he'll be fine."

Mrs. Weasley looked at her as she went to her room, not quite believing her daughter. Nevertheless, she went back downstairs to prepare dinner, leaving the door to Theodore's room firmly closed.

OOO

A/N: And… yeah. I think it's somewhat obvious where this is going. Things will start to move a bit more rapidly now – we should be at Hogwarts shortly, which will mean it's time for another sorting. As promised the CD cover has been taken down – so I hope all who wanted to go a look. And as always, I hope you enjoyed and will return for the next chapter.


	15. Abide

OOO

Harry blew out the candles on his birthday cake and a loud if somewhat unenthusiastic spate of clapping followed. Mrs. Weasley began to cut it up and pass around the pieces; it was easily as large as Draco's had been, though this time she made it all herself. After downing one piece and slipping Harry an envelope, Theo wished him a happy birthday and retreated to his room. 

From across the table, Ginny glared at Draco who ducked his head and focused on his own piece of cake. Seconds and thirds were foisted upon them by the anxious Mrs. Weasley and Harry opened his gifts, thanking each person in turn and telling Draco to remind him to thank the Malfoy parents for the heavy wool cloak embroidered with Hogwarts' crest. 

While Fred and George guided him through how to use the Zonko's products they'd bought for him, Draco noticed Ginny slip off to the upper floors. He followed and stopped short when he heard her voice in Nott's room. 

"I'm done with the last one Theo. Can I borrow another?" 

""I guess. Take what you like." 

A moment of silence, then Draco heard the door closing. He looked at Ginny as she stepped into the hallway and she paused, startled by the sight of him, before heading for her own room. 

"You know, Ginny, I don't think the answer is going to be in those books," he said softly as she walked by. 

"Really?" She turned on him, her face as red as her hair. "Then where do you think the answer is going to be?" 

"I don't know…" he sighed. "I mean, I don't even know what's wrong…" 

"I'll tell you what's wrong," she whispered, pulling up close to him, "is you and Harry not getting him any help trying to cover for… for that other friend of yours." 

"Ginny!" His brow furrowed. "You promised not to say anything!" 

"I haven't!" She rejoined. "I promised so I won't. And I wonder if that's good. He isn't speaking, he isn't eating, and he hides in his room all the time. I don't know what to do; he won't even talk to me or the twins. None of us have seen him smile since it happened. Mum's at her wits end but he only ever tells her that everything is fine. 

"This isn't my fault!" Draco looked at her, agitated. "Something went wrong and I don't know what…" 

"Then who's fault is it, that all of you charged into it and now that something's gone wrong, none of you will own up to it? We should tell somebody, somebody who can help him. Even if we don't give them all the details." 

Draco paused, uncomfortable and unsure of what to say. At length, he sighed. "Look, I'm sure he'll open up soon. You'll see. We'll get to school and it will be the same as ever." 

Ginny said nothing and Draco went back downstairs where Harry was still at the table with the twins and Luna. They sat and talked for a while longer about the coming year, about flying and pranks, about anything at all except what was weighing on all of them, some more than others. As the sunlight coming in through the kitchen windows began to fade, Luna pointed out that she promised her father she would be home before dark and Harry suggested that they leave as well. 

"We should do something else soon, though," Draco suggested. 

"It has been rather lonely since the picnics ended," Luna observed. "I miss it. And I wish they hadn't." 

"It's just… it's not the same." Harry frowned. 

""But we could go to the zoon, the three of us – or all of us, if Theo and Ginny like." 

"Ginny is mad at you two," Luna pointed out. 

"I know that!" Draco frowned. 

"We really can't do anything about it." Harry looked miserable. "I mean, Draco's right. His parents… they'd go spare." He turned to Draco. "About the zoo… I don't know, Draco. I'm thinking of going home." 

"What? But why? You hate the Dursleys! My parents love having you here!" 

"I know and that's a bit… it's not exactly comfortable all the time, is it? With some of the things they say." Draco flushed at this. "Besides – two months? I feel like I'm intruding. I _am_ intruding. I should go back." 

"Come on!" Draco protested. "Summer is nearly over!" 

"Draco, it's a month more until September." 

"That's not so much!" He turned to the blond. "Luna?" 

"Harry doesn't really want to stay." She studied Harry's face then looked at Draco. "And it would be a bit selfish to insist he stay because you want to have somebody to hang out with. I would like to go to the zoo, though. I miss the snidgets." 

Draco sighed and threw his hands up. "Well why don't we all stop talking all together and pretend like we don't know each other," he muttered in anger. "Because that's what it's becoming." 

He stormed off to where the Thestral he'd ridden over was tethered and flew off with Harry trailing behind him. They landed in the woods in silences, checked on Fluffy, met up with Sirius at the appointed time and returned to the house. Civilities were exchanged with the parents but not much else and Draco buried his head in his pillow while Harry started to gather up his clothing and belongings. 

OOO

_Ink was spreading across the page, leaving trails like wounds, only to fade moments later. _

_If only they knew… if only I could say… what has happened? When did this…_

_Sometimes people cannot understand. But isn't it cruel to make them worry? They are taking notice. _

_I am sorry. I cannot ever say how sorry… I wish I could say, that I had even a moment…_

_Wash your face and comb your hair. _

_I am a fool and I am blind. _

_Aren't we all?_

OOO

A week into August, Theodore woke up from the afternoon nap he'd been taking. He rolled over and felt something hard beneath him. Looking down, he saw the covered of the black book. He held it, frowning, and then set it on the nightstand, wondering how long he'd been sleeping. 

Stretching as he stood, he walked down to Ginny's door and gave a light knock.

"Come in." An absent-sounding voice came from the other side of the door. 

He opened it to find her stretched out on the bed, flipping the pages of a book, one by one. He drew closer and saw that it was a book of poetry by Emily Dickenson. She didn't look up from the page she was reading so he cleared his throat. 

"Ginny?" 

Looking up, she gave him an unsure smile. "Hey Theo!" She sat up on the embroidered bedspread, brushing her shoulder-length hair back with a sweeping gesture. "How are you?" 

"I just woke up." He sat down next to her. "I am afraid that I owe you an apology. I have not been much myself of late." 

"That's alright." She squeezed his shoulder. "We were really worried that something had happened to you."

"I was just… I'm sorry for freaking out on everybody. I needed some time alone to sort things out. The… the exercise we did dredged up a memory and I had trouble with it." 

"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked tentatively. "You don't have to if you don't want to. But it might help." 

He nodded. "You might be right. It was… It was about my mum." 

"Draco thought that might be it," she mentioned. "Were you remembering her death?" 

Again he gave her a nod. "I saw it happen, as you know. And when… when the spell was cast on me, it was like I was back there, holding her hand and watching her fade away in front of my eyes. I always felt like I should have done something – called my father, called one of the house elves, done something to revive her, to heal her, to save her. But all she had at the end was a little boy and his irrational panic, watching her die without knowing what to do." 

"And you say it all again," Ginny intoned sympathetically. 

"Yeah," he sighed. "I felt like I wanted to cry. Stupid and useless." 

"Theo, you were so young. What? Four, five?" 

"Four." 

"What could any four-year-old have done? Your being there doesn't make you responsible. There probably wasn't anything anybody could have done." She took his hand. "People die sometimes and there's nothing anybody can do. You know that, Theo." 

"I know. It still hurts though. And living through it again… it was just too much." He picked up the book she'd left sitting on the bed. "You've been reading poetry?" 

"I've been reading everything," she laughed. "After you stopped doing the picnics and the readings, I wanted to know what happened so I finished off the story you were reading. Then I saw something else that looked interesting and I kept going from there." 

"How far have you gotten?" 

"About a shelf and a half." 

"Not bad." He smiled. "And what about the others? Did you tell them what happened?" 

"I filled them in." She frowned. "Harry went back to the Dursleys you know." 

"What?" Surprise etched his features. "Why would he do that?" 

"Said that he was uncomfortable." She fiddled with her nails. "Everybody was really. I mean, nobody's blaming or anything but after you got so… so quiet, everybody kinda… everything went weird." 

"Oh." 

"I was mad at them because they wouldn't tell anybody what had happened and nobody wanted to admit they'd been doing magic they shouldn't have been doing and all Draco was worried about was his secret and Harry's been feeling awkward around the Malfoys and…" she sighed. "It's a real mess isn't it?" 

"It's my fault. I suggested the lessons. And then I worried everybody and retreated into my shell…" 

"Theo!" She punched him lightly in the shoulder. "Stop blaming yourself for everything!" 

"Does that mean you won't let me make it up to everybody?" 

"Did you have something in mind?" 

"I'm thinking a picnic with bentos." 

Ginny laughed. "And what on earth are those?" 

"It's Japanese. I can explain it – but let's have some lunch first." 

The red-head grinned and jumped off the bed. "Sounds like a plan to me. Draco wants to go to a zoo too, you know." 

"Magical or Muggle?"

"You know him; he'd be happy with either." 

She rushed down the last few steps to tell her mother they were ready for lunch. Ginny hummed as she went, glad that Theo had snapped out of it, whatever 'it' was, but never looking closely enough to see the darkness lurking behind his eyes. 

OOO

"He left again?" Petunia looked suspiciously at her husband. "Why? For where?" 

"I dunno," he replied gruffly. "No business of mine, it is, where that freak goes. So long as he's out of our house. All the better for when Marge comes to visit." 

She sniffed. "Not as though I care – but did he say where he was going? Was it with that dreadful blond boy again?" 

"Some red-headed chit. Said they were going to some… weasel farm or something." 

Petunia doubted very much that they were going to a weasel farm. But if he had left of his own volition, then as far as she was concerned she had done her duty and wasn't about to go asking after him. 

OOO

Draco pulled Harry along at such a rapid clip that the green-eyed boy could barely keep up; even Dragon was panting at their side. 

"Draco, what's wrong?" Harry looked alarmed.

"And why didn't you let us in on that little bit of information?" 

"What bit of information?" He looked over at the girls. Luna had her usual placid expression on but Ginny looked fretful. "What's going on?"

"Harry, you were hissing," she pointed out. 

"What? No I wasn't. I just said 'hi!'" 

"To the snake?" Draco asked. 

"Well, yeah. I've done it before you know. When I was a kid, at another zoo, it was telling me about Brazil…" 

"Never mind about Brazil!" Draco interrupted and practically threw Harry into a plastic chair by a food court table. "You're saying that you've been able to do this since you were a kid?" 

"Do what? I don't know what you're getting at!" He sounded frustrated. 

"Harry, you can talk to snakes!" Ginny sat down. "You're a Parselmouth!" 

"So what?" He looked back and forth at his friends. "That's weird?" 

"Of course that's weird, Harry," Nott rolled his eyes. "Very few wizards are Parselmouths and almost all of them were associated with Slytherin. Lord Voldemort being one of them," he said, whispering the last in a somewhat deeper tone. 

Now Harry could feel the agitation that his friends had been demonstrating and he paled. 

"I'm sorry," he whispered, feeling unaccountably guilty for the skill. "But I thought everybody… I mean, Draco seems like he understood… what's going to happen?" 

"Well we can't say anything about it," Draco insinuated darkly. "Or people will start assuming all the wrong sorts of things. My mum and dad would have kittens for one. Probably think you were the Heir of Slytherin or something." 

"Think I was the what?" Harry asked.

"It's an old Hogwarts legend," Ginny said. "But that hardly matters right now. What I want to know is how you got it?" 

"I think we'd all like to know that," said Nott, studying Harry's face seriously. 

"I hear you can get it from swimming in certain lakes. Is that how you got it?" Luna asked.

"No! How do I know where I got it from?" Harry frowned. "It's something that's always been there. Not like I took classes or something." 

Draco sighed. "Well, I can't say I'm specifically familiar with the Potter family lineage. But even if I was, the family trees are so convoluted it could have descended from anywhere." 

"So you're saying that…" Harry dropped his voice. "… that I could be related to Voldemort?" 

"That's not possible," Theo spoke up sharply. 

"Theo?" Draco looked over.

"Read a history book," he said, rolling his eyes. "The Dark Lord had no immediate family." He paused and put a finger on his lips. "You could, however, be related to Salazar Slytherin. He was, after all, the first known and most famous one. Reason for the house animal and crest and everything." 

"Well how do I know?"

"That far back?" Draco laughed. "Probably never will. Besides, you've seen the tapestry in Grimmauld. The way the family trees go…" 

"Everybody pureblooded is pretty much related to everybody. Distantly," Ginny added, seeing the look on Harry's face. "But if you trace it back far enough there are only so many families." 

"Because nothing says classy like inbred," Draco muttered sarcastically. 

""That's how your parents feel," Ginny pointed out. 

"And I've seen enough of the animal world to know what happens when you inbreed. Do you know the health problems that some dogs have because of inbreeding? This is all beside the point, though." He leaned in towards Harry. "The point is that it would probably be better of f for you if you kept this particular talent a secret." 

"Because it's dark?" 

Draco bit his lip. "There are certain perceptions attached to it, positive and negative. If you want to avoid stirring up a nest of vipers – and yes, that pun was entirely intended, don't give me that look Theo – then you should probably keep this under wraps." 

"We know you're not dark though." Luna gave him a reassuring pat. 

"Well thanks for that." Harry sighed. "Do you think anybody else heard me?"

"It was noisy in there and nobody else was close," Draco observed. "Probably not." He shuddered. "Still, dark or not… nasty creatures. I was barely able to get close to the glass." 

"That's right," Harry recalled. "The attack when you were little."

"And the other incident at the zoo," Draco added. 

"I suppose this means you're due for a third," Luna said breezily.

"What do you mean?" Ginny asked. 

"You know what they say about things, good and bad, coming in threes. The bite when he was little, the incident at the zoo – that's two. Don't you think there will be a third?" 

Draco looked pale. "I should hope not! Besides, those two were years ago – don't you think it would have happened by now? And anyway, as long as I stay away from roaming snakes and have no bursts of uncontrolled magic, I should be fine. Besides," he smirked, "if I ever was attacked, Harry could just tell the thing to bugger off." 

"Very funny," Harry punched him in the shoulder. "I'm glad dark magic is such a joke to you, especially when it's infecting your friend." 

"I already said it wasn't dark!" He protested. "I mean, not exactly." 

"While I'd love to hear you two prattle about snakes for the next three hours," Ginny interrupted, "don't you think we had better go and see the other exhibits? We haven't even been to the equines yet." 

"Or the birds," Luna added.

"Let's go," Harry replied, standing. "And I'll do my best not to do any more of… of that." 

"An excellent idea." Draco pulled out a map of the zoo. "We're near the aquarium and water exhibits – shall we go there next?"

"Lead the way," said with a gesture and a laugh. 

OOO

_The beast is there! I have seen it! Great and strong, as is befitting. _

_A true one this time? Not like the other?_

_There can be no doubt. I am sure of it. What more have you need of?_

_I will abide. Something more than this. _

_After all this time… the awakening has come I am certain! Everything points to it, the places, the signs…_

_Wait. Wait and see. _

_But the reports from the castle…_

_Wait. _

OOO

A/N: First, happy day after St. Patrick's Day to you all – hope you wore your green :) So things are moving faster and the next chapter should take us up to the start of the school year. Things took a bit of a negative twist for Theo there but there are bigger plans for how things are unfolding so everything's back to almost normal – at least on the surface and at least for now. ;) Stick around and you'll find about what happens and until then – happy reading.


	16. Misdirection

OOO

OOO

"Oh, book shopping." Ginny heaved a sigh. "Is there any task quite so thrilling?"

"I told you, you can have mine," Draco pointed out. "No need for you to come with us."

"He's right you know," Theo added. "They've probably never even been opened," he told her, evading an elbow in the side from Draco. "Fine. Maybe he opened them _once_."

"Well Mum said that all the DADA books are new. And I need to get a wand from Ollivander's, which is something I should really do myself. Besides, books and wands or not, if I don't come with, I'll miss out on the ice cream afterwards, which is, as we call know, the most important part of any trip to Diagon Alley."

"And I'm sure that the presence of certain blond, pompous, _Witch Weekly_ award winning smile holders would have nothing to do with your desire to accompany us on this errand?" Theo teased.

"No!"

"Careful there, Theo," Harry grinned. "She really looks irritated."

"I'll say," Theo laughed. "Methinks the lady doth protest…OW!" He winced as Ginny slapped him on the back of his head.

"And the next person who says something like that, I'll knee him in the…"

"Fine!" Theo backed away from her. "We get the idea. Very clearly. Really," he said with a glare at Harry and Draco to be quiet.

"You know," Luna said as she skipped, "for being the winner of so many smile awards he doesn't have a very good one."

"Of course he doesn't. He's a smarmy git and smarmy gits don't have good smiles," Draco replied.

"The readership of _Witch Weekly_ might disagree," Harry pointed out.

"The readership of _Witch Weekly_ – Mrs. Weasley and her recipes notwithstanding – probably has a single collective brain cell between them," Theo added, rolling his eyes.

"And… there's a line." Draco's shoulders slumped as he looked at the throng of girls outside of Flourish and Blott's.

"Are you that surprised?" Theo's eyebrow arched.

"No. Not really. I was just…" He trailed off, frowning. "Is that Hermione?

"I think it is," Harry nodded.

The bushy-haired girl noticed them and began waving them over vigorously. The walked up to her, finding her flushed and clutching a stack of books.

"Are you here for the Lockhart signing too?" She asked. "I would have come over but I've been waiting in line for over an hour and I didn't want to lose my place. Isn't this exciting? I can't believe I'm going to get to meet with him, talk to him, breath the same air as him…"

Theo looked like he'd been punched in the face. "Please tell me you aren't serious," he said when he finally regained his ability to speak.

"What do you mean? Of course I am!" She gushed. "I mean, you don't get a chance like this very often, do you, to meet somebody with such an illustrious career and such a… such a stunning smile."

"I… uh… I think we'd better go," Draco said, dragging Nott, whose mouth was gaping like a fish out of water, away from the scene. "Are they letting in people who aren't here for the signing? You know, to get textbooks and all?"

"I think so. Around the corner there's another entrance. But you won't get your books signed that way."

"You know, Hermione, I must admit that is not a big priority for us," Harry replied.

She nodded like she understood. "Girl thing I guess. But what about your friends?" She looked at Ginny and Luna. "Won't they want to get theirs signed?"

"Oh not at all," Luna told her. "I think he's false and pretentious. And disconcerting and a little bit nauseating."

"Really." Hermione stated flatly, glaring daggers.

"Well of course," Luna went on. "I wouldn't have said it if I didn't truly believe it. And do you know that he never talked about the snorkacks in any of his books on travel?"

"The what?" Hermione demanded, agitation evident.

"Textbooks!" Draco pushed Ginny and Luna simultaneously, motioning for Harry to drag Theo away before he or Ginny could start adding their objections to Lockhart's existence. "Lots to do, have to run…"

"Wasn't that Susan and Hannah a few places behind her?" Harry turned to Draco once they were safely inside the bookstore, away from Hermione and anything blond and grinning.

"Probably was," Draco groaned. "I wonder if the whole year is going to be like this and if every girl is going to go spare."

"_I'm_ a girl and _I_ haven't gone spare," Ginny pointed out in an affronted tone.

"What I'd rather know is why all of his books are on our reading list." Theo glowered at the parchment he was holding. "Quirrell was an awful teacher, no doubt about it, but who would be fool enough to assign the drivel this moron writes?" The obvious answer occurred to him and to Harry simultaneously and they exchanged looks of horror.

"What?" Draco looked at one then the other. "You two look like you've been munching vomit flavored Bertie Bott's."

"Lockhart," Harry murmured.

"They wouldn't," Nott rejoined. "They have to have _some_ standards."

Draco snorted. "What? You think they're going to make that one a teacher?"

"Who else would assign his books?" Nott pointed out. "It's the only answer that makes sense."

When Lockhart caught sight of Harry and waved him over to make a 'tremendous announcement' only minutes later, Theo shot Draco an 'I-told-you-so' smirk and Draco groaned.

"He'll be at the school too?" He moaned as the air filled with adolescent squeals.

"Hex me now," Theo muttered.

"Hex you? Hex him more like. Maybe we'll get lucky and the bad luck that trails that DADA job will hit him early. As in one week in early."

"One week? Our brains will be rot by then," Ginny grumbled.

"You really think so?" Luna sounded distressed. "Brain rot is a very serious condition. You really think he has it and he might be contagious?"

Draco grinned. "I don't think he's quite that bad. But I wouldn't listen to his lectures too closely, just in case."

Luna nodded as if this were sage advice.

"Probably wouldn't learn anything even if you did," Theo remarked offhandedly as he perused the stacks for additional reading just as Harry escape the throng and made his way back.

"Done with your public so soon, Mr. Potter?" Draco teased.

"Skip it," he grumbled, shoving the books in Ginny's direction. "Here, take them."

"What?" She scoffed. "The autographed copies? Thanks but no thanks. Don't you need them for your classes too?"

"I'll get my own." He looked uneasy. "I mean, they're pretty pricey…"

Uncomfortable silence descended and Ginny looked away for a moment, blushing, then turned back smirking. "Why don't you give them to Hermione? I'll bet she'd like them." She looked at Theo in a skeptical fashion. "You know, I thought you said she was smart."

"She is!" Nott folded his arms, exasperated. "Probably the smartest witch in our level! That's why I can't understand why she's so… so gone over this moron."

"We are mysterious creatures," Ginny said, sticking her tongue in her cheek. "And you know what? Never mind about the books. I think I'll manage just fine without them."

"Shall we finish up and go to Florean Fortescue's, then?"

"Definitely," Draco nodded. "The sooner we're out of the Lockhart-polluted air the better."

OOO

Remus settled into the café chair and listened to the swirl of voices around him as he sipped his tea. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched the children head towards the ice cream parlor, catching sight of Sirius on their way. He stood up from the window of robes he was looking at and made a move as if to go towards Harry, only to see Draco next to Harry, herding him away. Draco and Sirius made eye contact for a moment before Draco pushed Harry inside and Sirius moved on.

The patter of voices around Remus started up again.

"…would have thought he would be more insistent…"

"I heard he was the godfather…"

"…well I'd still be bitter, wouldn't you?"

"…falling in with a boy like that…"

"…it only goes to show…"

"I'm surprised they even let them hang out together."

"…mother's married to his cousin…"

"Bad blood all around…"

"…then who's been raising him?"

"I heard Muggles…"

"They're always seen together, you know."

"…Hogwarts, even?"

"…surprised a lot of people, his house did…"

The conversation continued, speculating on who might be influencing whom and trying to guess reasons and motivations behind every little action that they saw.

It was all Remus could do to keep from laughing.

OOO

At the end of the day, Draco slipped back to his own house with Harry, secretly relieved that he'd been able to convince Harry to stay with him for the last few days and that his parents had been more than willing to let him go book shopping with his friends alone. Ginny seemed thankful that her parents had agreed to stay home as well. One on one, parents weren't so bad, but he didn't want to imagine what might have happened if their parents had run into each other. Harry was edgy enough about the Malfoys as it was, something Draco had attempted to explain to his parents.

They walked Luna back since it was getting dark and both he and Harry agreed that, despite the relative safety of the surrounding countryside, they should make sure that she got home safely. Upon seeing them, her father smiled when he met them at the door.

"And how did you like your birthday gift?"

"Very much!" Draco grinned. "My parents freaked a bit when they found out I had him, but he's been behaving and staying back in his cave and not harassing the peacocks or digging up the flower beds."

"Well I was certainly glad to assist in the effort!" He beamed. "I can think of no fitter person to take charge of a cerberus."

"Thanks!"

"Draco?" Harry motioned towards the setting sun. "We need to get back. Sorry," he apologized to Mr. Lovegood.

"No trouble at all. Good luck at Hogwarts – may your minds be open to the fantastic."

"So the dog is doing well?" Harry asked as the rode back.

"Definitely. You can see him if you like. He's really very nice, I assure you."

"Maybe. Maybe. Not too keen on meeting huge hellhounds alone in the woods."

"Oh, don't worry about that. He's my dog, he'd never hurt you or anybody else I like. Really, beneath it all, he's very sweet."

"If you say so… race you!"

They urged the horses into a gallop that didn't stop until they pulled up at the manor, leapt off and then dashed for the door. Draco reached it first, Harry catching up a moment later.

"Told you I would be faster the next time," the silver-haired boy panted.

"Draco!" Harry laughed, turning and leaning against the door. "That was ages ago!"

"I have a long memory," he replied, hitting the doorbell.

"Back so soon?" His mother gave them an arched looked when she opened the door. "You two have the ride to school tomorrow you know. Did you both buy everything that was on the list? Are you all packed and ready to go?"

"I know, I know! We're fine, totally read, I promise. One or two things left." As he entered he gave his father a look. "And dad?"

"Yes?"

"You're on the Board of Governors for Hogwarts, right?"

"I am. Why do you ask?"

"Who on _earth_ decided to let Lockhart teach?" He demanded with a touch of indignance, leaning down to scratch Dragon behind the ears. "I thought the point of school was to get at least _some_ education. I mean, not to sound like Nott, but the only thing bright about this guy is his teeth."

Glancing at Narcissa first, he leaned in towards Draco and Harry. "You see, this is why we shouldn't let witches make decisions," he whispered.

"I heard that Lucius! And this witch is about to decide that you will be sleeping on the couch tonight!"

Lucius blushed only faintly and smirked as he shooed the boys upstairs.

OOO

_I'm tired, so tired, I can't continue on like this…_

_You will keep it up. They cannot know. You know what will happen if they know..._

_My face hurts. I hate to smile when… _

_Swallow your dislike. You are good at that aren't you? You've had so much practice. _

_Tired…_

_If you cannot, I can. Slip in like a glove…_

_I still don't understand. I don't know what you're… I don't see what you think you can gain…_

_All will be clear. But not to you._

OOO

Ginny pressed her ear against Theo's door and knocked again. "Theo?" She rapped with her knuckles. "Theo, are you in there? Are the twins with you?"

The door swung open a second later, revealing a haggard looking Theo. "Sorry, just talking to me self, trying to remind myself to pack everything."

"Oh. Yeah, I guess there's a lot to remember." She sat on the bed and reached for a stray volume that he'd left sitting out. He breezed over, snatched it away and dropped it in his trunk before she could touch it, however.

"Do you have everything packed?" He asked her before she could inquire about the book.

"Mostly." She shrugged. "I mean, not like I have a whole lot to take."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Not like it ever bothered me or any of my brothers before. Well, any except Ron," she amended with a frown. "Really, Theo. Don't look so down. And hey, even if I can't have it this year, next time this year I'll have a Nimbus in tow," she grinned.

"I suppose." He put another armful of books in his trunk. "Speaking of… him… do you know how he's getting back to school? Has he even bought his books yet that you know of?"

"Who knows?" She shrugged. "For all we know he fell into the ocean. He's probably fine – I'm sure Pansy bought him everything." She rolled her eyes. "But even he's fine, Mum sure isn't. Crying her eyes out again about him going back without even seeing her. Dad's been trying to console her; I was rather hoping she'd forgotten she had such a rotten kid."

"She might see him at King's Crossing."

"Doubt it. But hey!" Ginny clapped. "Dad just told me! We're taking the car tomorrow!"

"What? The one he's been working on?"

"Yeah! Isn't that cool?"

"Yes," he managed a smile. "Yes, it is. I'll bet that Draco will be disappointed once he hears about this. The Malfoys are taking him and Harry up, I believe. I suspect he'll be crushed at the thought of such a lost opportunity."

"Not like the car is going anywhere. Well, it is but it's coming back. You know what I mean! Dad can give him a ride as soon as we have a break or something."

"Speaking of you father – is he licensed to drive the car?"

Ginny blushed. "He left that part out."

"Which means no." Theo smirked. "Wonderful."

"I'm sure he'll drive just fine," Ginny said with a touch of defensiveness.

"And I'm sure I would rather see one of the twins behind the whell," Theo rejoined.

Ginny couldn't help laughed at this, leaning back with a sigh when she finally caught her breath. "So is Hogwarts everything that you guys say it is? Be honest with me Theo. What's it really like? What should I expect?"

"Expect Snape to be nasty, right from the start. Expect to learn nothing in Defense Against the Dark Arts because Lockhart is a blithering idiot – although I suspect you already knew that. Expect your brother and his toadying gal pal to cause trouble. Do not, under _any_ circumstances, eat anything the twins give you – although I suspect you already knew that too. Feel free, however, to offer their wares to other firsties, especially the ones you don't like.

"If you need help finding anything, Harry, Draco or I always have the map somewhere between one of us and Draco and Harry are liberal with their invisibility cloaks – though get Harry's if you have need of one and you can. Nothing against Draco's but Harry's is fantastic. The still life down in the basement leads to the kitchens – just tickle the pear. There is, in fact, a giant squid and if you want to get acquainted with it, talk to Draco. He is, shall we say, well acquainted with the beast."

"Oh?" She grinned. "What did he do?"

Theo leaned over to her. "He snuck out one evening last spring and went swimming in the lake with it in his skivvies. Came back in his cloak, according to Ernie, soaked and practically starkers."

Ginny let out a shriek at this and gasped for a moment or two. "He didn't!"

"Does it sound like something he would do?"

"Well… yes." She stifled another giggle. "Somehow I don't think I want to be that familiar."

"Well, I'm sure the offer is on the table. As for anything else – the Forbidden Forest isn't nearly as fascinating as some make it out to be, the Room of Requirement is – and we can show you precisely where that is located since it doesn't show on the map – and Hagrid makes absolutely terrible pastries so that's another thing to avoid eating ever."

"I'll try to keep that in mind. All of it." She stood. "But I suppose I had better pack what I do have. We're leaving pretty early and I need to get some rest. You should too; you look like you could you it."

"Don't worry Ginny. I will." As soon as she left the room, his shoulder's sagged and he looked at the door, worn. "…at least I'll try."

OOO

A/N: The situation with the diary will become clearer as things progress and by the end everything will be explained. Promise. And yes, next chapter will in fact end with another sorting! So stick around to see where everybody ends up. :)


	17. The Second Sorting

OOO

Once they were inside the gate and standing on the Platform 9 and 3/4, Mrs. Weasley broke away from the group of children she and her husband were escorting to quietly approach the one who wasn't with them. Ron was sitting on a trunk next to Pansy, staring at the train, and failed to notice his mother's quiet, hesitant approach.

"Ronald?"

He turned and his look turned venomous when he saw who it was. "I'm not talking to you," he snapped.

"Ronald I just wanted to let you know that I love you and hope you have a good school year." She tried to touch his shoulder but he jerked away from her.

"Didn't you hear him?" Pansy stood, crossing her arms with a supercilious air. "He doesn't talk to people like you any more."

Mrs. Weasley's eyebrows furrowed. "Listen to me young lady, he is my son and I will talk to him when I please."

"Well Pansy's right!" He shot back, his voice rising. "I don't want to talk to people who replace me with other kids and can't even be bothered to dress me right or have a real job!"

"Come on, Ron, let's get my father to help up with the trunks."

Mrs. Weasley stood, frozen, not following Ron as he walked away from her. George left his brother's side, coming over to try and pull her back to their own group making its final preparations.

"Like I said before, never mind him mum. Don't think about him. He's being a dumb jerk…"

"Don't talk about your brother that way, George," she interrupted, looking at him with red eyes. "No matter what he does or how he feels about me, he's my son and I love him. And sometimes… sometimes I wonder if he isn't right to be angry."

As she went to go help them unload the trolley into the luggage compartments, Theo lowered his eyes from watching the transpiring scene and hung his head before hefting his trunk and making his way to the back of the train.

OOO

Draco pushed his way into the compartment where he found his housemates already waiting. After giving Harry a quick nod and watching him go off with Ginny and Luna, he shut the door and fell into the seat, Dragon already wedged beneath his feet. Stretching, he gave his friends a collective wave and pulled out a bag of snacks his mother had given him, passing them around.

"So how was the rest of your summer?"

"Uneventful at best," Ernie shrugged. "I was hoping for something to liven things up but it never really happened."

"Well I think it was very exciting." Susan chewed a chocolate frog. "Especially when we got to get our schoolbooks."

"Please tell me that wasn't you in that line," Draco groaned.

"What line?" Ernie grabbed a pumpkin pasty. "What are you talking about?"

"Gilderoy Lockhart, unfortunately."

"Oh great."

"What're you two on about?" Hannah looked at them as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Don't you think it's fantastic that he's going to be our new DADA teacher?"

"I think I would rather have a lobotomy than suffer him for several hours every week. I can't believe you two have fallen prey to that git!"

"And you agree with him?" Susan looked sharply at Ernie.

"Whoa, leave me out of this. But I have to say – he doesn't strike me as the brightest bloke."

"Nobody's talking about brightest," Susan rolled her eyes. "He's _handsome_."

"And you think that's the best qualification for a teacher who is, supposedly, teaching us stuff that might one day save our life?" Draco looked at her, incredulous. "I mean, no offense to anybody, but it's not like he's teaching Divination. Defense is stuff that people might actually need to use. I'd prefer it not be taught by an idiot – and I'd have thought you'd agree with me Susan."

"He's not an idiot!" Her cheeks flushed. "He's done marvelous things!"

"And you believe him?" He looked towards Ernie. "I mean, you don't buy all that stuff in his books, do you?"

"I have even read them," Ernie replied quickly before stuffing more candy into his mouth as a way of opting out of the argument.

"I don't think he'd have written it if he didn't do it." Hannah frowned. "I mean, he'd know people would find out sooner or later if he made stuff up. Besides, he's brought back all that proof and stuff…"

"Well maybe when I see it, I'll change my mind. But right now I haven't seen anything from him but a nauseating grin."

"You're such a boy," Susan scoffed, as if that settled everything.

They lapsed into an awkward silence after that until Ernie swallowed and changed the subject.

"So what did you think of the new group of first years? Think you can pick out any of them that'll be in Hufflepuff?"

"Well, I hate to make any pre-judgments," Draco said, unwrapping a chocolate frog and tossing aside the card. "I mean, you know what a surprise I was to everybody. Plus the only two first years I really know at all are Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood and I can't say that either of them really seems like much of a Hufflepuff."

Hannah picked up the card Draco had tossed aside and tucked it into her schoolbag. "Really? What houses do you think they'll get into?"

"Guessing Gryffindor for Ginny – her brother may have bucked tradition but she seems like a lion all the way and has said as much. Can't really see her going elsewhere. Luna's a bit harder but… I'd probably say Ravenclaw." His grin was slightly rueful. "She's a very loyal friend but she's quite witty and clever in a roundabout way. She's probably like it there."

"Theo is too, though, and he got into Gryffindor," Ernie pointed out. "Hermione too for that matter. They're probably at the top of our class but they're both in Gryffindor. So maybe she'll be in there with Ginny."

"And she'd already know people there, which is a plus no matter how you look at it," Susan added.

"We'll have to wait until Sorting to see," Draco said with a shrug, not really wanting to think about more house division and separation.

"What do you think this year's classes will be like?" Hannah bit into a licorice wand nervously. "Do you think they're going to be a lot harder than last year's were? I mean, last years weren't too awful but I don't know."

"I looked over the books and it shouldn't be too bad," Ernie reassured her. "Of course, I'm sure Snape will make everything relatively miserable like he always does."

"Be glad we aren't Gryffs; they have it the worst. At least that's what Harry thinks," Draco said.

"Well of course Harry would," Ernie said with a laugh. "But I kinda agree. It's the whole Slytherin-Gryffindor thing."

"Speaking of Gryffindors and Slytherins," Hannah dropped her voice, "was that Millicent Bulstrode going into a compartment with Lee Jordan and the two Weasley twins?"

"Probably. They got a bit chummy over the summer. Something mutually uniting about a hatred of Ron," Draco told her.

"Yeah, I saw him with Pansy Parkinson earlier. She's so stuck up and he's just like her. None of the girls outside her house think she's very nice, you know," Susan informed the two boys opposite her.

"No argument there," Draco agreed, glancing out the window as they rolled along.

OOO

"Wasn't dad's car excellent?" Ginny opined cheerfully, settling into her seat. "I mean, it would have been cooler if mum had allowed him to fly us over to King's Cross, but still – getting a car up and running is something isn't it?"

"Your dad did a pretty good job," Harry agreed. "Especially for not having a whole lot of experience."

"He's a quick learner," Ginny declared proudly.

"I wonder why nobody took it for a flying ride as it was," Luna mused as she opened up a copy of the Quibbler.

"Fred and George tried," Ginny snickered. "Mum caught them at it and threw a fit that practically took the roof off, as Theo could tell you. And speaking of which – where did he get to? I thought he was going to follow us in."

Harry shrugged. "Maybe he went off with Draco or the twins or something. I'm sure he's around."

The door suddenly slid open and Ginny looked up, expecting to see the boy in question. Instead, however, they were greeted by the sight of a nervous Neville Longbottom.'

"Hey guys." He gave them a halting wave. "Is this seat taken?"

Ginny wanted to say 'yes' but Harry broke in before she could speak. "Apparently not. You're free to sit with us if you like."

"Thanks," he sighed, relief washing over his face. He set a cage containing Trevor down on the floor and gave little nods to each fellow passenger. "Hey Harry. Ginny. And you're…"

"Luna Lovegood," she told him, giving him an absent blink of her eyes.

"Luna. Well nice to meet you." He grinned a little too broadly. "Good to see everybody again."

"Good to see you too Neville," Harry said, returning the smile. "How was your break?"

"Oh, alright." He shrugged. "Spent most of it doing this and that with my Grandmum." He frowned. "And I hope I didn't forget anything at home again. She'll pitch a fit if I did. Oh! And did you hear about the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?"

"Yes," Ginny hissed.

"She doesn't like him much," Harry whispered with a wink.

"Nobody likes him much," Luna said in a matter-of-fact tone. "Ginny especially but that's no secret. I don't see how anybody could like him."

"Grandmum doesn't…" Neville began before being interrupted.

"Well who asked you?" A voice from the door snapped.

The passengers turned to see Hermione Granger standing there in the doorway that Neville had neglected to close, pink to the roots of her bushy hair.

"She can have an opinion!" Ginny retorted.

"Well it's not a very good one," Hermione sniffed. "Gilderoy Lockhart is a hero and a genius…"

"Shows what you know," Ginny grumbled.

"…and anyway, I know all about _you_," she went on towards the blond. "You're the daughter of the editor of the _Quibbler_. With all the nonsense your father publishes, I wouldn't take anything you say seriously if you're anything like him."

The paper dropped and Luna's face was pale and set. "I am _proud_ to be like my father."

Ginny, however, had gone even redder than Hermione and looked like she was about to leap over Harry towards Hermione. Standing, Harry got between them, his back to the compartment.

"Don't you need to find a place to sit down before the train picks up speed?" He suggested to the brunette. "I'm sorry but Neville filled up the compartment just before you got here."

"Fine by me," she said with a glare at Luna and Ginny. "I wouldn't want to sit with such… uncouth and undereducated first years anyway."

Neville looked cowed and shrank into silence and Ginny burst into a tirade.

"What a complete and total git! Who does she think she is?" Ginny fumed. "You should have let me deal with her, Harry! I would have hexed her into…"

"You would have hexed her into a detention for yourself before you've even been Sorted," Harry broke her off.

"Didn't you hear what she said about Luna?" Ginny shot back. "How can you let her get away with saying stuff like that?"

"Look, you girls have all gone a little bit batty over the whole Lockhart thing…"

"She didn't like me very much," Luna said as she perused her upside-down Quibbler. "And I cannot say that she seemed very smart to me either."

"She's nice once you get to know her…" Harry suggested in a half-hearted tone.

Ginny scoffed. "What? Once you've proved to her satisfaction that you're suitably intelligent?" She looked at the trees rushing by their window. "Being in a house with her will be insufferable. And it was probably her fault that she and Theo got into that fight in the first place. I can't see how any of you could stand hanging out with her."

"Get to know her. She's not that bad. Promise," Harry reiterated before shifting the subject to the impending Sorting and the upcoming school year.

OOO

When they finally reached Hogwarts, Ginny and Luna left the group while Draco and his friends joined them. Theo stepped up shortly after, making his way down from the back of the train.

"Who were you riding up with?" Draco asked as he reached into his cloak and took out a wrapped package. "I thought you were with Harry."

"And I thought he was with you," Harry added.

"I went to the back of the back and slept on the way up." Theo gave them an apologetic smile. "I really needed the rest."

"I understand," Draco replied, taking out a piece of raw meat from the paper and feeding it to the thestrals that were pulling the carriage. "You didn't miss much, what with all the mooning over Lockhart," he said, teasing the two female Hufflepuffs who huffed at him.

"A fight almost broke out in our compartment." Harry climbed up onto the seats with Hedwig.

"Really? What about?" Draco wiped his hands off on Dragon's fur and joined Harry.

"Hermione Granger has some differences with Luna. Particularly about Lockhart," Harry explained. "Teased her about her dad's newspaper and after that, Ginny nearly punched her lights out."

"Well good for Ginny!" Draco declared. "What stopped her?"

"_I _did. Didn't think it would be good to get detention before we'd even left the station," Harry told him.

"She'd better not have that attitude the whole year." Draco crossed his arms and frowned. "I'm not going to put up with her if she does. She might be smart or whatever but there's no call for that."

Susan and Hannah exchanged nervous glances and Hannah bit her lip.

"Draco… you know, it _was_ just Luna," Hannah said softly.

"What does that mean?" He demanded.

"She's a bit… you know…" Hannah gestured vaguely.

"Loony," Susan finished. "I heard a few of the people in the other compartments. I mean, the _Quibbler_ isn't exactly the _Daily Prophet_, is it?"

"So what!" Draco looked at them, maddening each moment. "There's loads of rubbish in the _Prophet_! At least the _Quibbler_ is interesting!"

"I'm only saying that… you know… _lots_ of people think that way." Hannah looked abashed. "I mean, I'm sure she's a really nice girl…"

"She's a good _friend_," he interrupted, fuming. "And if anybody talks about her like that in front of me, I don't care about the detention – I'm pulling out my wand. Nobody talks about my friends like that."

"Don't get so hot under the collar," Susan said with a roll of her eyes. "It's just comments."

"I don't care what it is – I don't like it."

"Well, nobody can accuse you of being disloyal," Harry broke in, hoping to diffuse the situation.

Draco settled down but the tension hadn't evaporated. With a sigh, Harry looked towards the castle and wondered if the whole year would follow in that pattern.

OOO

Staying near Luna as they navigated the crowd of first years, Ginny felt much the same as Draco. There were surreptitious whispers everywhere and it felt like every third person was pointing at them, nudging their friends. She swore he heard the name 'Loony' Lovegood more than once as wizarding children who knew about the Quibbler filled in the children from Muggle families, telling them that her father was no better than a cheap tabloid editor.

Gritting her teeth, Ginny looked at Luna for some sign that the other girl had overheard the comments, but found none. Instead, Luna continued to smile cheerfully and hum as they waited for the sorting ceremony to begin. She seemed oblivious to the gossip that was barely keep quiet, the snickering that happened when people saw her clothes or her jewelry.

Ginny's heart sank. Luna was a little unconventional, she knew that. But after so long hanging out with her, it didn't really seem all that strange. Perhaps bottle cap necklaces and oddly-shaped earrings weren't what everybody wore. But so what? Briefly she wondered if this was what Harry felt like, surrounded by celebrity – and some of it negative – whenever anybody drew near. If she didn't know Luna and Harry as well as she did, she might find them strange too, Ginny told herself. But surely there was no reason to point or stare. It was only a newspaper and some out-of-place clothing.

The titters eventually quieted down as the kids moved away from the boats and into Hogwarts, pointing at the various ghosts drifting by and the moving paintings, the shifting staircases and vaulted ceilings. Professor McGonagall greeted them and told Ginny what she already knew, that they would be Sorted by means of a hat. Tensing, she waited as the names were called one by one.

"Lovegood, Luna." McGonagall turned her bespectacled gaze to the grey-eyed girl.

"Good luck," Ginny whispered as Luna skipped to the front and put the hat firmly on her head.

"RAVENCLAW!" The hat declared after only a brief moment.

Ginny gave her a smile and watched as she sat down with the other students at her table. The smile quickly dissolved into an expression of concern, however, which only grew as other students were called forward to Ravenclaw.

Nobody was sitting next to Luna or talking with her. There was a person-sized space around her on both sides and people seemed to be making an effort not to look at the girl humming to herself. She had resumed reading the Quibbler upside down, again unperturbed, but Ginny wondered how she would stand it. Glancing towards the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor tables, she read similar expressions of concern on the faces of her friends as well – particularly Draco who, as he'd related to them often, knew what it was to be alone after sorting.

"Weasley, Ginevra." The elderly witch motioned her forward

Ginny sat on the seat, looking out at the crow before her. Her brother Ron was whispering to Pansy, not even paying attention to the sorting. The twins were looking at her expectantly along with Harry, while Nott seemed distant and distracted. Draco was chewing his lip while his housemates chattered. For a long moment, everything seemed to be in suspended animation.

"Well, well… another Weasley… and this one will be going where Weasleys ought to go…"

"Wait!" She 'shouted' in her mind. "Isn't there anywhere else? I mean, I'm smart right. I can be clever! And witty!"

"Who are you trying to convince here?" The hat replied with sarcasm.

"Please! Luna will be all alone…"

"Kids make friends in their own house, regardless, child."

"You don't understand! Besides… without sounding too ambitious, I want to be smart. Smarter than…" She glanced out of the corner of her eye at a bushy head that was talking with a dark-skinned girl. "Smarter than _her_."

The hat paused. "I suppose… you are rather well read. And there is a respect for various kinds of knowledge. Very well then. But this is absolutely the last time! You children…"

"RAVENCLAW!"

The twins sat up at attention, Theo looked over in blatant shock, Luna lowered the paper to smile serenely at her and McGonagall glanced at Flitwick as Ginny made her way over. Draco, however, was unabashedly restrained, clapping and cheering as hard as he could, harder than any of her housemates. When she looked at him, Ginny saw pride and relief mixed in his features and her own step gained confidence.

Sitting down next to Luna, she faced her housemates and the new school year with the assurance of having made her first decision a right one.

OOO

A/N: And that's how Ginny's sorting worked out. :) So the school year has started – and it won't be long before the students start dropping. Also, big developments for a certain father are in the works, so stay tuned and check back next chapter!


	18. Asleep and Awake

OOO

Lucius retreated into his study while his wife whirled about the house, a ball of jitters. The first night Draco went back to Hogwarts after a vacation was always a bit tense. As he sank into his leather of his chair, his eyes drifted to the drawer where he'd placed the birthday present Draco had insisted on him getting so many weeks ago. Idly, he shrugged and pulled it out.

After all, he _had_ promised the boy. And there was nobody there to see. Tossing the bag aside, he opened the book, skimming the text and glancing at the brightly colored pictures.

He froze when he came to a two-page spread in the middle.

There was a shot of a man, laid out on a stretcher, his face bloody and bruised. The opposite page had a series of pictures showing another man bearing down on him, snapping his leg at a ninety-degree angle. The caption beneath the pictures read 'Lawrence Taylor tackles Joe Theisman, resulting in a career ending injury.'

The thought that a leg could be snapped like that was horrific and mildly nauseating. There was blood everywhere, a sense of brutality and ferocity permeating the pictures. It was uncouth. It was disgusting. It was base, it was Muggle, it was…

_Invigorating_.

Lucius snapped the book shut and tossed it back into the drawer. Even the still shots had been somewhat exciting. It was like seeing someone take a bludger to the face or a seeker getting fooled by a feint and smashing into the ground. There was a gruesome, thrilling sense to it that made him think he should avert his eyes but want to stare all the more.

"Muggle sports," he scoffed. "Disgusting."

He walked away and went to his bedroom, thinking to retire early and trying to squash the sense of curiosity at what a scene of that 'football' would look like played out in life rather than in those stupidly still Muggle pictures.

OOO

As his father drifted into sleep, Draco tossed. Something was wrong. He couldn't tell what, but he felt it and tossed in his bed, trying to figure it out.

"Draco?" Ernie peeked out from his curtains, having changed bedding arrangements so that he would be by Draco instead of Justin. "Draco what are you doing? I can hear you from all the way over here."

"Awake," he whispered.

"Yeah, I am," Ernie muttered. "And I'm not exactly thrilled about it. I'm tired, you know, so it would be great…"

"Not you."

"What?"

"I said, I didn't mean you." Draco tossed aside the covers and sat on the edge of his bed. "Something woke up."

"Draco, it's too late in the night for this…"

"I don't like it Ernie."

The other boy sighed. "Are you sure this wasn't a dream?"

"I'm not dreaming now, am I?" Draco demanded. "I'm telling you, something is wrong!"

Heaving a sigh, Ernie sat up. "And what do you think we can do about it at one in the morning? Tell me that. Besides, you don't even have an idea if anything's really wrong! Something's awake – what does that mean? Something like a teacher? Something out in the forest? Picking up on the giant squid's thoughts now are we?"

"It's not funny!" Draco snapped.

"Then if you're so worried, tell Professor Sprout about it. Or somebody. But saying that something is awake… Draco, I need to get to bed and you should too if you want to be awake for your lessons tomorrow." He buried himself beneath his comforter, drawing his bed's curtains closed to signify that their conversation was at an end.

Still uneasy, Draco went back beneath his covers, though sleep didn't come for at least an hour. When it did, it was filled with dark and damp and the sense of something rising from the depths.

OOO

"I'm telling you, I think I felt something!" Draco persisted to Theo as the other poured a glass of juice.

"Yeah, you and Harry both. Going on about his scar again last night. Fine pair the two of you make."

Draco crossed his arms. "I got the brush off from Ernie last night, not you too!"

"Speaking of Ernie, don't you have a house table to be sitting at?" Theo asked as Draco reached for a muffin.

"Am I bothering you that much? Fine!" He took an impatient bite. "Look, there's Hermione," he gestured, crumbs spilling onto his robe. "I'm sure you'd much rather eat with her. See you in Herbology."

Harry sat down next to Theo moment after Draco walked off. "What was that about?"

"Nothing." Theo shrugged. "He had a bad night too apparently."

"That's weird." Harry frowned. "Maybe I should talk to him about it."

"Probably just back to school jitters," Nott assured him. "So, are you all read for today?"

"Almost." Harry sighed. "I've been looking everywhere for the map."

"The map?"

"You know," he whispered. "Marauder's Map? I was hoping to maybe find a passage or two that would help us to get to our classes faster. But when I looked through my trunk this morning I couldn't find it anywhere. Could have sworn I packed it though. Have you seen it? Did I take it out or something in the common room?"

Theo shook his head. "Haven't laid an eye on it since last semester. You're sure you packed it?"

"I thought I did." He piled his plate high. "I know I did! I mean… dang!"

"To think," Theo said with a roll of his eyes, "we'll have to get to class like everybody else, by knowing the way and using the stairs."

"It's not that I'm worried about!" Harry glared. "That map is important to me! And not just because it helps us to commit pranks. I mean, there is that. But it was a gift from Fred and George. And it… it was my father's and Sirius'. I'd hate to think I lost one of the few things I had that were actually from him."

"It will turn up," Theo assured him with a pat on the back. "It is only paper after all. Perhaps it slid into one or your books."

"Theo, I flipped through them all, practically tore the trunk apart! It wasn't there!"

"These things always turn up when you least expect them. Now hurry up and finish your breakfast or we're going to be late for our first class."

OOO

Lockhart beamed at the gathered Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs as they made their way towards the greenhouses, going on about his experience with exotic plants and Whomping Willows. Draco gritted his teeth; he was annoyed enough by the brush-offs he'd gotten from Ernie and Theo and had been looking forward to a peaceful time with the plants. Of course, that meant the git would show up.

"The Whomping Willow'd probably break your leg and you'd deserve it!" He blurted at Lockhart the moment the man paused to take a breath.

There was an audible gasp from behind him, although Draco was pleased to note that despite the withering glares he was getting from all of the females in the class, Harry and Ernie looked rather amused. Lockhart blinked at him as though he hadn't quite heard but Professor Sprout, looking somewhat disgruntled, merely directed them to proceed to greenhouse three.

"Do you have to be so rude?" Susan snapped at him a few minutes later as they went up to get earmuffs.

"You're lucky that Hufflepuff didn't lose points!" Hannah added.

"I'm lucky I didn't vomit all over my shoes after seeing that lurid turquoise robe of his." Draco spat. "I'd rather be repotting these mandrakes _sans_ earmuffs than have to put up with that moron. I don't know how I'm going to make it through Defense class."

Despite the slight air of animosity, however, the four of them still gathered around a tray to fulfill their assignment. Across the room, Draco noticed that Harry and Theo had been joined by Justin and, to his mild displeasure, Hermione.

Snotty little know-it-all, he thought viciously as he jerked another mandrake up out of its pot. Always answering the questions. Didn't mean she was the best. Theo knew the answers too, but he wasn't about to show-off and make a spectacle of himself, especially when Gryffindor got the points all the same. And all that mooning over Lockhart and what she'd said to Luna…

He wondered how she and Ginny were getting along anyway.

When the class was finally over, he brushed the sweat off his face and began the hike back to the castle.

"Ugh, I need a shower," Susan groaned.

"Eh." Draco shrugged. "The fertilizer doesn't smell _that_ bad."

"Besides," Ernie smirked, "who would we be getting clean for? We don't have Defense until tomorrow."

"Yes, but we might pass him in the hall. And what if he should see us looking like this?" Susan rejoined as if she were pointing out the obvious.

"Hex me now Ernie. Seriously. I mean it. For his safety as much as my own."

"Buck up," Ernie laughed, clapping him on the back. "Can't be any worse than last night, right? That's it!" He snapped his fingers. "Maybe you should tell Lockhart about your unease! If it's anything dark, I'm sure he'll be able to help. He is the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, you know. In case you hadn't heard. Very famous. And talented."

"This isn't funny and if you say another word, I'm going to knock your teeth out."

"Lighten up Draco. Come on – let's get cleaned up. And maybe you should put on some cologne." He grinned. "So that we don't pale beside the immaculate Gilderoy Lockhart, wherever he may be."

OOO

"I'm surprised you didn't say anything, Theo," Harry observed as they returned to the dorms from Herbology.

"Say anything about what?"

"Justin going on about Lockhart. I mean, he really seemed taken with the guy and you don't seem to like him too much…"

"Neither do you and you didn't object." Theo shrugged. "Besides, Hermione was right there. Didn't think it wise to start a fight. You know how… enamored the girls have been."

Harry nodded and lowered his voice. "And did you see the looks Draco was giving her? For a moment I thought he was going to blast her earmuffs off just to see what would happen."

"Well that's Draco's problem, isn't it?" Theo replied coldly. "He needs to stop being so touchy. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get out of these robes before this dirt gets smudged on my books."

Harry nodded and went to pull out his own clean robe, taking a moment to search once more for the map. He remembered packing it, knew that he had – something like that wasn't easy to forget, no more than his invisibility cloak would be! Frustrated, he looked under the bed again, in all of the sheets, in the pockets of his clothing, everywhere he could think of – and he still turned up empty-handed.

On their way down to Transfiguration, he vented again to Nott.

"I mean, I should be able to find it!" He murmured.

"You should stop talking about it if you don't want other people to wise up to it," Nott replied. "Keep going on like this and McGonagall or somebody else will figure out what you're discussing."

"This is important though!" Harry pulled him aside by the shoulder. "Theo – what if it's been _stolen?_"

The other boy sighed as if Harry was being unreasonable. "Harry, who would steal it? Who would have reason to? Only a few people know about it and if Draco or I wanted it we could just ask and Fred and George probably have the whole thing memorized. If it was in your trunk then it went right up to your room and only Gryffindors can get in there. Again, who could possibly have taken in that would have a reason to? Either you've dropped it somewhere or you left it at home, either at Draco's or at the Weasley's."

"I know I packed it though!" His eyes lit up. "What about the train?"

"What about it?"

"Things were busy on the Hogwarts Express! Somebody could have seen my trunk, opened it really quickly and made off with it before I noticed what was happening!"

"Harry, if you're that oblivious you deserve to have your stuff pinched. Really, though, I think you need to calm down." He pushed the classroom door open and they found a set of seats in the back. "It's going to turn up in a day or two and you're going to think it was silly to get so worked up over it in the first place."

Still looking doubtful, Harry sat down with a sigh and tried to forget about the map and focus on transfiguring the beetle into a button. Normally Hermione was fairly skilled at such tasks and while he was busy sending his insect scuttling, she did manage to make a black coat button.

Not, however, before Theodore managed to change his into an elaborate metal button, getting points and a rather satisfied smile from McGonagall. Even if it wasn't him who'd done it, Harry couldn't help feeling a bit proud with his friend.

"Good job. Brilliant even."

"I've been keeping up with my studies," Nott smiled.

"Well I wish your skill was contagious." He tossed his wand aside at the end of the lesson, still no closer to working a change in his beetle. "And I'm absolutely exhausted. Let's go get lunch, fortify ourselves for the next class."

"Oh. That's right." Theo frowned.

"_Lockhart_," they moaned in unison.

OOO

It was only the first day, but already Ginny was having misgivings, wondering if she was really cut out to be a Ravenclaw after all. It had been nice to have somebody to automatically partner up with in classes. But she'd nearly been late to Potions, of all things, after forgetting her textbook and being unable to answer the riddle to get back in until a fourth year came her way.

Everybody else seemed much quicker on the uptake. Even Luna, in her own roundabout way, seemed to be absorbing information much faster than Ginny, though musing about it in ways that made the other students glare at the duo.

"I don't know, Luna," she sighed as they left the dungeon and went out to sit by the lake. "Maybe I'm not smart enough to be here."

"The hat puts you where you should be," Luna assured her.

"That's the problem, though." Ginny blushed. "I kinda… I kinda asked the hat to be here. In Ravenclaw."

Luna looked at her, but her eyes betrayed no emotion. "I see."

"I mean, I thought it was the right thing to do. But now – I mean, I don't know if I can handle it." Ginny drew her knees up to her chest and looked out at the rippling surface of the water. "Maybe I overestimated me. Wit beyond measure…" She scoffed. "What was I thinking?"

"You mean you don't know your own thoughts?"

"I know what I was thinking! I just… oh, never mind. Let's get some lunch."

As they reached the courtyard, Ginny noticed a crowd gathering with Harry, Lockhart and an eager boy with a camera in the middle of it. There were a few flashes and Harry pointed towards them, managing to wriggle out of Lockhart's grasp in the process.

"Thank goodness," he puffed when he reached them. "That boy…"

"Colin Creevey," Luna told him.

"Yeah, him. Wanted a picture. Autographed. So then Lockhart overhears and starts going on about a double picture then tried to pull me aside and give me some lecture about fame and the responsible handing of fans and all this other rubbish!" His face flushed. "Can you believe it!"

Ginny laughed. "Maybe you should have taken him up on it." She flicked his mess of hair. "Famous Harry Potter."

"You know I'm not into that!" He frowned. "It was an ambush!"

"Well for those of us who've not spent so many hours around you, you cut quite the impressive figure." Ginny winked at Luna. "Of course those of us who _know_ you, we know better."

"The first year wouldn't have been so bad, but Lockhart was there, acting like some sort of crazed mentor. And I have him for class next and he's probably going to bring it up… oh, and to top everything off, your brother was there to give me more grief about being famous for a stupid scar. He's part of what drew Lockhart over to the commotion in the first place."

"Should have hexed him. I would have."

"Personally, I'd like to avoid detention if I could. Don't want an earful from Theo about damaging the house."

"Speaking of Theo, where is he?" Ginny looked about. "I was hoping to see him sometime today."

Harry shrugged. "Maybe he got caught up in the crowd after the whole photo mess?"

"Theo seems to be gone," Luna murmured.

"He'll be in class though. Which reminds me – can't be late. See you guys later!"

OOO

It was Theo who got detention that day, however.

As soon as they'd gotten into his class, Lockhart had, still beaming at Harry every so often, passed out a quiz over his life, as told in his books. While the other students began looking over questions and scribbling down answers, however, Nott waved his wand and sent the packet of papers flying into the brightly-clad wizard's face.

"Mr. Nott?" He checked the roll and looked up, flustered. "Something wrong with your quiz?"

"This is rubbish," he drawled. "And I'm not taking it. You can fail me if you like, but I truly don't care much. This entire exercise is an idiotic and foolish waste of my time. It teaches nothing about what we're supposed to be learning. And if I might go further, it is in fact about a subject that's totally pointless."

The boys had snickered and Nott barely shrugged as Lockhart tried to regain his composure and look suitably offended.

"I had heard you were rather intelligent Mr. Nott, but I find you to be surprisingly closed-minded and ill-tempered!" His face only grew redder as Nott rolled his eyes. "You leave me no choice then! Detention. And five… no, ten points from Gryffindor!"

"Whatever," he snapped.

The lesson proceeded with Hermione diving her time between glaring at Theodore and practically salivating over Lockhart, while Theo ignored everything and all the others looked practically bored to tears. Following the quiz, Lockhart had very quickly abandoned them to the pixies, doing nothing to improve Harry's mood.

"What was that about?" He demanded of Nott when they had finished shoving them back into their cages.

"What was what?"

"All that with Lockhart! Weren't you the one saying earlier in Herbology that we shouldn't start any fights? And now you have detention!"

Theo shrugged. "He got on my nerves." He sighed. "I suppose if I have detention though I had better get a head-start on my homework so that I won't get behind."

"Oh. Well, alright." Harry watched him duck off in the direction of the library before heading back to the tower.

He _had_ to find that map or he wouldn't be able to get any sleep for thinking about it.

When he reached his room, however, the problem only compounded as he realized he couldn't find his father's invisibility cloak either.

OOO

Now that Peter was no longer roaming the halls, much to Sirius' delight, he was permitted to go outside without worrying about being spotted. Draco had made an arrangement with Hagrid to let him spend some time outside by the hut, provided that he didn't go into the forest. It had been a rather enjoyable day, actually, getting fresh air and spending some time with Draco whenever the boy had a chance between classes.

The sun was going down, though, and he supposed he ought to be getting back. Then from behind him, there came a sharp, strange scent – human, but masked with something else to obscure it – and the found of a footfall. He turned, wondering if it was Draco who'd managed to get himself sprayed with something.

Instead of finding Draco, however, a damp cloth was pressed into his muzzle and everything around him went dark.

OOO

As the sun slipped downwards, Draco whistled, ambling towards Hagrid's hut. It was the best part of the day, he thought, the twilight where the sun touched the night.

Then he smelled the tang of blood on the air and the peace was shattered.

Dashing up to find Sirius, he came upon the dog stretched out and unconscious. He shook him to rouse him, but to no avail. Looking about, he tried to see what might have caused it, if Sirius might have eaten something that would have been poisonous. That was when he noticed the rooster. Bloody and mangled, the dead animal brought back memories to Draco that nearly made him ill. Fast on his feet, he pounded against the door of the hut.

"Hagrid!" He shouted. "Hagrid, open up!"

The door swung open a moment later and Hagrid loomed inside the frame, looking down at the panicking boy.

"Wha's th' matter?"

"Hagrid, something hurt my dog and killed the rooster!" He pointed. "I think… I don't know!"

Following him outside, Hagrid took a moment to survey the scene then nodded and scooped up Dragon.

"Let's go ter see th' Headmaster."

OOO

A/N: So already the ball gets rolling with the Chamber. Won't be long before there's a victim. ;) As to how it will all play out – wait and asee and I'll do my best to keep the action going.


	19. Apprehension

OOO

Only when they were safely in Dumbledore's office did Draco feel his heart beat begin to even out. Laying Sirius down onto a chaise that was on the far side of the office, he brushed past Hagrid and began hurriedly explaining how he'd come upon Sirius, unconscious. Beyond that, however, he couldn't say what had happened.

Nodding gravely, Dumbledore withdrew a potion from his cabinets and drizzled it into Sirius' mouth. He woke up, first blinking as a dog and then, upon seeing they were alone in the office, changing back into a human shape.

"Sirius!" Draco hugged him. "What happened?"

"I think I got attacked," he said slowly.

"I know that! I mean, do you know who did it? How did they do it, what did they use, what were they trying to…"

"Whoa. Whoa. Slow down." Sirius placed his hands on Draco's shoulders to quiet the boy. "I don't know very much. I'll tell you what I know, but I don't know how much help it will be," he said with a glance at Dumbledore. "Everything was pretty sudden to be honest. I was down at Hagrid's, enjoying the outdoors and waiting for you, when I heard somebody come up behind me. The scent was definitely human, but it was masked somehow, so it was confusing my nose. I thought it might have been you and assumed you'd gotten sprayed by or fallen into something. I was about to turn around when whoever it was pressed a damp cloth – soaked with something like chloroform I'm assuming – into my muzzle and knocked me out.

After that I wasn't aware of anything until you got me and woke me back up. And because I know you're going to ask – no, I didn't see whoever it was that did it. The scent was so muddled I couldn't even really tell you if it was a male or a female or how old the person was. There might be a footprint or something back down by the cabin, though I doubt it; it hasn't rained in a while and, anyway, there's no easy way to tell and intruder's print from a students."

"Well, do you have any idea what he might have been down there for?" Draco asked the question in general, looking from Sirius to Hagrid to Dumbledore. "I mean, are you, you know, keeping anything again, down by Hagrid's? Maybe there's something in the woods or nearby that someone thinks Sirius saw?" Without waiting for an answer, he went on. "And what about the rooster? Why kill a chicken, I mean, what purpose could it serve? It's not like the unicorn last year, there's nothing special about rooster blood or something like that."

"P'raps th' rooster was a coincidence?" Hagrid suggested without much conviction.

"Maybe. Blood-sucking bugbear or foxes. It's possible," Draco conjectured. "But I doubt it's likely. First, it wasn't eaten – which makes sense if a person killed it for some specific purpose but not for an animal. A fox wouldn't have killed a rooster for no reason and then left the body. Even if it was to sneak into the henhouse, it still would have bitten something. Which is another thing – no bite marks." Draco chewed his lip. "The neck was snapped; that's human behavior. Which is _another_ thing – kill the rooster but knock out Sirius? That makes no sense. If you can kill a chicken for whatever reason, why not kill a dog too…"

"…unless whoever did it knew I was actually human," Sirius added, "and either wasn't prepared or didn't want to deal with the consequences of killing a person instead of an animal. Do you think it was Peter?" He asked after a pause.

"It might be, but… I don't know," Draco sighed. "This makes no sense."

"Perhaps you ought to sleep on it?" Dumbledore suggested in a mild tone. "I confess, there might be cause for concern. However, I assure you I will keep an eye on it. Even if it is seemingly natural or innocuous, an attack such as this does bear some watching. If anything else happens, I would appreciate it if you were to let me know at once."

"Yeah." Draco nodded. "Alright."

"And with that, Draco, I suggest both you and Sirius return to the Hufflepuff dormitory and get some rest. You'll clean up the animal's remains?" He asked Hagrid, who responded with a silent nod. "Excellent. Then get some rest and do not dwell too much on this. Rest assured that if anything else goes wrong, I will be watching."

With that, Sirius changed back into his hound form as Dumbledore ushered the three of them out of the room. Draco and Sirius parted ways with Hagrid at the base of the steps and went down to the kitchens, Draco frowning all the while.

No matter what Dumbledore said or how much he assured him, Sirius knew, an animal had died and Draco was still going to obsess over who had done the deed and why. The prospect of it being Peter only made the incident that much more nerve-wracking and Sirius wondered if even he would be able to sleep very soundly.

"Still worried about things being awake?" Ernie teased in a good-natured way when Draco reached the bedrooms.

"Not funny," Draco snapped. It figured; he was scared out of his wits that something was wrong but nobody was going to believe him about any of it. Agitated and figured he'd be better off keeping it to himself than getting mocked again, Draco threw himself under the covers. Outwardly, he looked as though he was sleeping when, truthfully, thoughts ran through his head at an alarming pace until exhaustion finally had its way.

OOO

Hearing a sound behind him, Harry looked up from his trunk and saw Theo.

"Hey!" He grinned. "How was your detention?"

"Exhausting," Theo sighed, collapsing onto his bed. "I had to help answer the git's fan mail, if you can believe it. Got another one for tomorrow night too, after I lost my temper while he was lecturing me on how to properly flourish the signatures."

"Good job. Glad it wasn't mine. I'm sure he's have lectured me the whole time about 'responsibilities to the adoring public' and other nonsense." With a sigh, Harry rocked back on to his heels, frustrated, but keeping his voice low so none of the other Gryffindors could overhear. "I still can't find that map!"

Leaning over, he returned to his searching, not noticing Theo look over and shake for a moment, before blinking and sitting up. "Well, keep at it and I'm sure you'll find it."

"You keep saying that…" He stood up and kicked the trunk. "I give up. You know, it figures; it would actually come in handy."

"Why's that?"

"The first year? Creevey? I think he's got my schedule memorized. It's like he somewhat appears wherever I am!"

"Maybe he's got the map," Theo teased quietly, "and is using it to track you down."

"You really think so?" Harry looked over eagerly.

Theo rolled his eyes. "No, of course not. I was kidding. How would he even know about it?"

"I guess you're right. It was just a thought. Did you get all your Charms work done?"

"I did. You?"

"No," he sighed. "And I suppose I should."

"We've got the weekend."

"Yeah, but… I have a suspicion Wood's going to be after us to start practice."

"Already?" Theo frowned. "The year's barely started."

"Well he's already been going on at breakfast about 'maintaining our reputation' and 'living up to the expectations of last year.' I'm almost – _almost_ mind you – sorry we won last year. I don't know what's worse; Wood when we lose and he tries to get us back into form or when we win and he goes on a tear about keeping the streak alive."

"Well, good luck with that. I need some sleep, though, so…"

"Yeah, I should get to bed too, I guess." He shrugged. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Good night Harry."

OOO

"Are you sure we're allowed to do this?" Ron nervously reiterated his question.

"That's the third time since breakfast and each time it's been the same answer!" Pansy retorted. "Of course we are – Professor Snape signed the permission form, didn't he?"

"Yes, but…"

"Even if they got there first, or whatever, we have a special permission." She dragged him along impatiently. "Now stop worrying about it! Focus on your Seeking, alright?"

"I didn't even want that position, though! You know I'm a better Keeper. And the Gryffindors are…"

"We didn't have anybody to fill the Seeker spot, so you had to make do with what was open. You'll be good either way; you're a very strong flyer and the brooms we have are the fastest around. All you have to worry about is keeping your eyes open. As for the Gryffin-dorks, don't worry about them! Look, Flint's already practically on the field. Come on, let's catch up."

By the time they'd joined the rest of the Quidditch team, an altercation was already practically underway. Flint was smirking and towering over Wood while the rest of the team, including, Ron noted with displeasure, Potter and his brothers, milled around behind looking irate. The note from Snape was being shoved in their faces and Wood was growing increasingly red.

"Who is this new Seeker anyway?" He demanded.

The crowd of Slytherins parted and, jutting his chin out, Ron stepped to the forefront.

"Well if it isn't the black sheep of the family," Fred remarked casually. "Come to shame us a little more by parading around in robes you're not fit to be wearing?"

Fighting down a blush, Ron glared. "You two are the embarrassments," he retorted. "Flying those ridiculous Cleansweeps. Too busy wasting money on smoke bombs to afford anything decent?"

Now it was Fred's turn to glare as George stepped up next to his twin. "And I suppose you have something better do you? Courtesy of your little girlfriend over there?" He spat with a jerk of the head towards Pansy.

"You know, funny you should mention Pansy," Flint laughed. "Her father made a bit of a donation to his old team. Guys?"

Each member of the Slytherin team held out shining new broomsticks. Harry could make out the gold-lettered words Nimbus Two Thousand and One glittering on the handles and his face bespoke his distaste. Noticing this, Ron felt his confidence jolt and he grinned.

"Bit better than what you'll be Seeking with, isn't it?" He laughed at Harry. "And as for your old fossils," he said with a nod towards his brothers, "why it's practically an insult to call them both broomsticks. Better to classify yours as piles of sticks." Out of the corner of his eye he noticed a bustle of movement and the smirk grew larger. "And would you look at that; it's Potty's little fan brigade – the showoff and the incompetent."

There was a spate of Slytherin laughter as Hermione and Neville walked up, looking confused, couple with the distant clicks in the background indicating the Creevey was photographing the whole incident.

"What's going on here?" Hermione inquired.

"Oh, Ronnie-kins has just been telling us about how his girlfriend's daddy bought him a place on the team," Fred informed her casually.

"Better to have the well-connected as friends than enemies," Ron shot back.

"Better to be on a team because you're talented, not because you got a handout," Hermione chimed in.

"What would you know about it?" Pansy suddenly railed. "He is talented! You've never even seem him… oh, who cares about your opinion anyway, you nasty little Mudblood?"

A strangled gasp came from the Gryffindor team and Fred and George leapt forward, only to be met by the fists of Flint and their brother who formed a wall around Pansy. Neville looked shocked and Hermione confused, the ruckus mostly erupting between the Weasleys on each side.

"Mum would be ashamed of you, you dirty little traitor!" George screamed as Wood tried to wrestle his wand out of his hand before anything regrettable happened.

"Well maybe I'm ashamed of her!" Ron panted, pointing his wand at his brothers. "And if you two take another step towards Pansy, I'll hex the both of you so bad you won't have to worry about the fact that you have Cleansweeps because you won't be able to fly at all!"

The twins glared and struggled for a moment more before they acceded to their team's assurances that Ron and his ilk 'weren't worth it' and backed down. Still glaring, they followed Wood as he unhappily marched off the pitch, the rest of the team in tow. As they went, Ron overheard Neville trying to explain, among his stutters and blushes, what 'Mudblood' meant.

As the left, Ron suddenly noted an absence.

"Where do you think the other Gryffindor suck-up was? I mean, it's obvious he fancies Herm… the Mudblood. I'd have thought he'd be first in line to take offense and start a fight."

"Who? That swot Theodore? Who cares?" She smiled brightly. "I told you we'd get the field, no worries. Now show these guys all that you've learned over the summer."

OOO

Ginny saw her twin brothers walk into the Great Hall, their faces dark and brooding. Leaving Luna at the table for a moment, she walked up to them, noticing that they were accompanied by most of the Quidditch team.

"What's the matter? You two look mad enough to strangle a troll."

"Ron," Fred growled.

"What's he done this time?" Ginny sighed, falling into step with them as they walked to their table.

"Called Hermione a Mudblood!" George whispered.

Ginny flushed; she didn't particularly care for Hermione, given her attitude towards Luna, but that sort of insult was uncalled for. "You can't be serious! Are you going to tell mum about it?"

"And make her even more upset?" Fred shook his head. "It wouldn't change him any. It would just hurt her." He sat down on the benches, swinging his legs around.

"What were they Slytherins doing out there anyway? I thought you guys had the practice field for today."

"We did," George moaned. "Until Snape meddled. "Wrote a special note that the needed the field 'to train their new Seeker,'" he mocked.

"Ron?" She said the name as though it left a bad taste in her mouth.

"One and the same."

"Well I hope he's horrid at Seeking," she said vehemently. "He'll be nothing next to Harry. Don't you think so Theo?" She looked across the table at the boy who was busy pouring over a thick Transfiguration volume. "Theo?" She repeated.

"What?" He looked up after a moment.

"I said, don't you think Harry's a much better Seeker than Ron?"

"Oh. Well yeah, I guess."

"We're you watching them?" She asked impatiently.

"Stayed inside to work on this." He sighed. "Detention again – more Lockhart."

"I thought you served that already," Ginny said, looking quizzical.

"He did," Harry chimed in, reaching for a muffin. "Until he called him a 'smarmy git' while serving the detention he had last time."

"Theo!" She tried to shoot him a disapproving look but ended up laughing.

"Well I don't think it's funny," Hermione huffed from where she was sitting with Neville. "He's a teacher and you should show him the same respect you would to McGonagall or anybody else!"

"I'm fully aware," he said coolly. "It was a momentary slip."

Ginny looked at him oddly, but Hermione seemed placated. "Don't keep slipping like that or you're going to cost us a lot of points!"

"I'll keep that in mind."

"I should get back," Ginny said suddenly. "Luna's probably waiting."

By the time she reached the table, however, she found Luna similarly occupied in conversation with Draco.

"…and so none of the other 'Puffs will listen but I was wondering if you could think of something that might be doing it."

"Doing what?" Ginny sat down.

"Killing roosters," Draco said as he sipped a glass of juice. "I wanted to keep it quiet since the others don't think much of it but… Dragon got attacked the other night," he said in a hushed tone.

"What? By what?"

"Don't know. Somebody knocked him unconscious and killed a rooster. You guys are Ravenclaws – you're supposed to be smart. Any ideas on why someone would want to do that?"

Glancing at Luna, Ginny shook her head. "No idea."

"Perhaps they like to sleep in," Luna said thoughtfully. "Or perhaps they are afraid of roosters and think they're dangerous."

Ginny giggled. "Yeah, dangerous to those who want to get an extra hour of sleep. Besides, you can't even hear them up at the castle from all the way down at the hut, can you?"

"Sometimes. It depends." Draco sighed. "I suppose… I don't know."

"We'll keep an eye out next time we're down at Hagrid's," Ginny promised. "Have you told Harry and Nott yet?"

"No. I'll try to but I'll probably get the brush-off like I did with my housemates." His face lit up and he pulled Ginny aside. "Oh! There's something I've be meaning to tell you."

"What is it?" She asked once they were in the relative privacy of a hallway niche.

"Thank you for being there for Luna." He grinned. "It might sound silly, but I was really proud of you sticking up for her and getting into the same house and all. You know how Hufflepuffs are about friendship and loyalty. And I think… I think you'll make a great Ravenclaw, Ginny!"

She blushed. "Thanks Draco. To be honest, I've been feeling a little bit out of place lately. But if you think I can make it…"

"I know you can," he told her as they went back into the Great Hall. "You certainly read enough. And you're open and you _think_ rather than accepting answers that you're given – and that's the most important thing of all."

OOO

_Is any of this really necessary? And the things you have been saying…_

_My, my but you are persistent. I never anticipated it would be so difficult keeping you quiet. I really would suggest you black out though. The ride is not nearly so terrifying if you do not know the path you walk. You're not going to wrest control regardless and, I assure you, you would be much less agitated if you didn't know what was happening. _

_So you say._

_Optimism… I like it. It's why I keep you around you know. You are endlessly amusing – and intelligent, if in your own way. Quirky too – the things which bother you the most are not what I would have expected. _

_I may surprise you yet._

_No… no, I do not think so. You are clever and there is something to be said for your tenacity but the hooks are in far too deep. In time I will learn all your idiosyncrasies and break down whatever walls remain. For now though, let us close our eyes. We've much to do and it never does to fall prey to ones own machinations. _

OOO

A/N: My apologies for the lack of updates – life, other stories and a lack of inspiration will have to be my excuses. There will hopefully be a few more updates but, come July, things will die down for a bit – I'm going to actual England! So hopefully I will get to see some fun sights and come back with some details about London/settings/etc. I can use for my HP stuff.

And since it's Father's Day for all in the U.S. a note on this fic: this story (as many of mine are) has a major theme of fathers shot through it. What makes a good one, what makes a bad one, how people come to serve as surrogates and substitutes, and so forth. This will be a very major aspect in understanding Nott's character and (as a little hint which I may or may not delete after the holiday passes) in the development of his Patronus. In the Patronus of all three major males, in fact, but Nott's in particular. Nott's represents everything he does not have, wishes to have and wishes to be. And that will be quite important in the chapters and years to come. ;)

Just throwing that out there. Hope you enjoyed and I'll do my best to start moving this plot along!


	20. Victimized

OOO

After the first rooster was killed, the rest died soon after; the killer, however, was never found and once the roosters were gone nothing else happened. Though they doubted it to be true, Hagrid nervously chalked up the whole incident to a wild animal and eventually things returned to as normal as a school like Hogwarts could be.

Draco's unease lingered, though, and from time to time his friends would ask him if he was alright. Unable to pin down a reason for his wariness, he shrugged and claimed he was tired, nothing more. Nevertheless, Sirius knew better and tried to keep an eye out as well, even if he couldn't convey all the reasons for Draco's attitude to the others. He too knew that it was no animal that had attacked him. Furthermore, every so often a strange scent that made his hair stand on end would waft through the castle.

Finding out that Harry's cloak was still missing weighed as well. Sirius assumed that whoever had the cloak and map could wander around with near impunity, though stealing such valuable items to strangle roosters made no sense. Harry grew slightly frantic at this suggestion and even Nott eventually ceded that there might be something to be nervous about.

Nothing worse happened though and with the approach of Halloween, Draco felt his spirits begin to lift.

"You look a lot brighter than you did in Herbology a few days back," Neville observed as he and Draco went down to Hagrid's hut to look at the pumpkins. They were to be carved up soon, but the boy wanted to see them in their full, living glory before they were severed from the vine. Hagrid had promised them each a share in the seeds as well, something they were both enthusiastic about.

"Well, Halloween's coming, isn't it?" Draco grinned. "Hard to be completely out of sorts when you know there's gong to be a feast and the Great Hall will be decorated like nothing else."

"Yeah." Neville nodded in agreement. "Of course, it's not always happy. I mean, it's a bit exciting and whatnot, with the feast and all. But… well…" He looked at Draco nervously. "I mean, it's an anniversary in certain respects, isn't it?"

Draco caught his meaning and nodded. "Oh. Right. _That_." He shrugged. "I can't say that it makes me particularly upset; you know me Neville. I'm not like that, not going to be mad he's gone or anything. I think it's a positive thing, even if others don't believe me. As for the other, _other_ thing – if Harry feels saddened by it, he hardly ever says as much."

Neville nodded and rubbed his hands together. "I guess we'd better get up to the castle. Starting to get cold."

"Speaking of other celebrations, though – did Harry tell you he was invited to Sir Nicholas' Death Day party?"

"He was?"

"Yeah, him and Theo and Hermione. I think he might be regretting it now, but there's no way that Hermione would let him get out of something like that."

"Probably not," Neville reflected. "Very…"

"Uptight?" Draco suggested.

"I was going to say by the book and rule-following," Neville rejoined with a nervous smile. "You know, she's alright. Helps me out with my homework a lot when I need it, same as Theo when he has the time. And isn't in detention."

"I thought he was getting better about that," Draco asked.

"Was he? Maybe. I don't know. He's not in the common room very often so I assumed he was off with Lockhart."

"Hasn't said anything about it to me or Harry if he has been. Of course, given how mad it seems to make Hermione he might not want to make it public knowledge. But if he got it in class, surely you or Harry would be there to see it." Draco shrugged. "He's probably off studying a lot. You know how Theo is."

"Yeah. That makes sense." He tugged on the doors of the castle. "You could be a little easier on Hermione, though."

"I guess. She gets all her knowledge out of books, though, and that bothers me a bit. She's very… she's not open to possibilities and I don't like the way she brushes Luna off, as if she were batty or something."

Neville took a look at Draco's face and decided he might be better off holding his tongue. Luna didn't make sense to him either most of the time; then again, she was the one in Ravenclaw and not him. He had trouble passing practically everything, so who was he to say she was smarter or less intelligent than Hermione? That, and he knew Draco got quite worked up about the subject from time to time.

"So you think they'll have live bats like they did last year?"

"Did they have bats? I barely remember." He smiled wryly. "I didn't get to see or eat at much of the feast if you recall."

"Oh! That's right. The troll in the dungeon."

"Hopefully this Halloween will be a little more fun and a little more uneventful than that. Even if we did make a friend out of it, I've no desire to go about facing something like _that_ again. At least not right away."

OOO

_Happening too soon, happening too soon… he is not ready, not ready…_

_He will be. It was told. _

_He must be._

_Then we must…_

_Only when the time comes. Patience._

_Why wait to see? The beast already moves… Linger and it will be too late. _

_He will come to us._

_It was told._

_But when it happens the darkness will be upon him and he will be…_

_If it is true, if he is what you believe, then it will not matter. _

_Can there be any doubt?_

_Should you not at least tell our guardian?_

_Patience._

OOO

"Three minutes!" Pansy crowed as they passed around a plate of black and orange frosted cookies. "That was all the time it took him to catch the Snitch!"

"I knew my brothers were spying on us," he said with a casual shrug. "So I figured I would give them a show."

"Play like that in the tournament and we'll be sure to win the cup!" Daphne smiled and refilled her pumpkin juice.

"Well, it's not just me, you know," Ron replied modestly and looked over at Pansy. "Thanks to your dad we're actually flying decent broomsticks. Fast, responsive – they're a dream to fly."

"And they're going to go circles around the Gryffindors!" She smirked. "I can't wait to see the looks on their faces the first time we run them into the ground."

A few seats down, Millicent frowned. Pansy had been going on about the Quidditch team and Ron's prowess for day, something only made worse when the other students like Daphne started joining in. Morosely, she chewed and gave brief thought to sitting elsewhere. It was, after all, an anniversary of sorts for her, the first day she'd really gotten to meet Draco and Harry.

Problem was, she didn't see either of them anywhere in the Great Hall.

"Hey Millicent!" Pansy shouted at her from down the table. "Maybe next year you can try out for the team too! We'll be needing a Keeper and you'll be just perfect! You won't even have to block – just float around in front of the baskets and you'll be wide enough to stop whatever the other team tosses at you!"

Laughter broke out among the rest of the second years and Millicent's face blossomed a beet red. Grabbing her plate, she stomped off through the crowd of students to the Gryffindor table.

Even if Draco and Harry weren't around, there were always the Weasley twins.

"Milli!" George grinned. "Glad to see you're abandoning the dark side for the evening!"

"Hey guys," she grinned. While they ate, she turned to the twins. "Are those new Slytherin brooms really as good as Pansy and Ron say they are?"

George grimaced and her heart dropped. "Unfortunately… they're pretty fast."

"Well a fast broomstick can't make up for a complete lack of talent," Fred shot back. "Don't worry, we'll beat them." He patted her on the shoulder.

She nodded, trying to exude some of his confidence, but it didn't work very well. Seeing her expression, George nudged her.

"And if we happen to lose, we can always stuff fireworks into their backpacks."

At this, she laughed, and began to loosen up as the dancing skeletons were brought out to entertain them for the evening.

OOO

"Well that's odd," Draco murmured.

"What's odd?" Susan looked over at him.

"Look at that." He pointed at a line of spiders scurrying away down the hall.

"Ew!" Hannah jumped back. "There must be over a dozen of them!"

"I now – don't you think that's a bit strange? Them all lining up like that, so many at once?"

She shuddered. "I hate spiders. Strange or not."

"I can take care of that." Ernie pulled out his wand. "Easy."

"Don't!" Draco held him back. "They aren't bothering us. In fact…" He seemed puzzled. "It looks like they're leaving for some reason, heading for the door."

"Come on, guys, we're already late." Susan urged them along. "Who cares about spiders? I want to eat!"

"You guys go ahead." Draco watched the arachnids as they moved along and took a few steps in their direction. "I want to see where these little guys are headed."

"Well don't be too long," said Ernie. "Or you'll miss the feast entirely."

"I'll only be a moment."

They parted ways and Draco tracked the spiders all the way to the door, where he'd assumed they were heading. However, as he was about to follow them outside to see where they were going from there, screams rang out throughout the castle and the stomping sounds of feet echoed above him. Puzzled, he turned from the doors and ran up to see what the commotion was about.

OOO

_Please do not do this. Oh, please do not. She will never forgive me! She will think I am responsible…_

_Stop fretting. We will use the cloak; she might suspect but she will never see you. As for why, well… as you thought yourself – bright and clever. Far too clever. We won't risk this. _

_She has done nothing to deserve…_

_Fool. It's not about what she has done, but about what she can do and might do. And you are all the more idiotic if you think your banal pleadings will do anything but strengthen my resolve. _

…

_That's better. _

OOO

"Well I'm certainly glad to see you've been making an effort to appreciate Professor Lockhart's talents and abilities." Hermione fastened the clasp of her cloak.

"I do try." He smiled at her. "Has Harry already gone down to the dungeon?"

"I believe so." She gamboled to the door. "We'd better hurry too or else we won't get there in time." She dashed out of the common room while Nott followed a few steps behind her as she went on enthusiastically about the party. "And it's pretty unique, isn't it? I mean, how many people can say they've been to a deathday party? Living people that is. And I wonder what they'll have for food. I mean, ghosts can't eat in the same way that living people can so…"

As she turned down the second floor corridor, Hermione became suddenly aware that there had been no response for several minutes. Turning around, she found herself to be alone and stopped in confusion. Had she really been going along that fast that Theo was unable to keep up and got lost in the corridors?

"Theo?" She whispered.

There was a sound in front of her and she spun around. It was a low sound, a hissing that reminded her of water being let out of a valve. Then there came a grinding noise from up ahead. Nervous, she drew her wand and walked forward.

"Theo? Is that you?" She swallowed. "Is somebody there?"

"Of course somebody is!" Right in front of her a pearly figure drifted out. "I'm always here! Of course, I'm sure that many people would say that I'm a nobody but… oh!" The figure broke down into sobbing.

"Hello Myrtle," Hermione sighed and lowered her wand. "I don't suppose you've seen my friend Theo about? I think he might have gotten lost…"

"A boy?" She sniffed. "Why would I see a boy when I stay in the girl's bathroom?"

"I was only…" Hermione froze; a dark shape drifted out of the bathroom.

"Of course I did hear somebody making noise like then did when I…"

Hermione never heard the rest, however. Looking through Myrtle, she saw a pair of bulbous eyes shining behind the ghost. Within moments, as if ice were coursing through her veins, her extremities seized up and she fell to the ground, petrified.

"Oh! OHHHH!" Myrtle screeched and dropped through the floors, floating all the way down to the dungeon in a panic.

OOO

Harry's legs ached as he ran though the halls, hoping that Sir Nicholas was finding somebody who could help. He'd been wondering where Theo and Hermione were when Moaning Myrtle's wailings had broken up the party, screaming about how a girl had been killed outside of her bathroom and on the second floor. Fearing the worst, he'd gone to find out, only to hear someone screaming about smelling blood and killing on his way up there, urging his steps along even further.

_Hermione._ She had been Harry's first thought and, as he turned into the corridor, he found it to be disturbingly true. A cry wrenched from his throat and he ran over to her unmoving, prone body. Above her head there was writing on the floor in some kind of red substance. He reached out to touch it and found that it was only red paint, though it was clearly meant to call to mind blood.

"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened," he whispered. "Enemies of the heir, beware…"

"Hermione!" A pained scream came from behind him and Harry turned to see Theodore behind him along with many of the teachers and much of the student body. "Harry, what did you do?"

"Theo!" He looked up. "I didn't do anything, I found her like this!" He looked over at the ghosts who'd come up from the party. "Isn't that right Sir Nicholas? Myrtle came down screaming that the girl had been killed…"

"Let me see, let me see…" Lockhart bustled to the front and made a show of picking Hermione up off of the ground.

"He's right" The nearly-beheaded ghost affirmed to the gathered crowd. "He was with us until Myrtle came down and by then the attack had already happened."

"Besides, I…" Harry trailed off. He was about to tell those assembled that he'd heard who did it – but a disembodied voice? He doubted that would alleviate anybody's suspicions. "I wouldn't do this to Hermione! She's my friend!"

There were nods as Lockhart began rambling on about Ouagadou while Dumbledore came to the forefront. With a nod, he scooped up Hermione and accepted Lockhart's offer to go to his office, joined by several of the other teachers, while the prefects herded the students back to their common rooms where they would finish up the feast.

"You had better come as well," he told Harry who nodded and Nott who remained transfixed, staring at the words.

When they reached the office, Nott collapsed and buried his face in his hands. "This is my fault!" He moaned. "I should have stayed with her! I just…"

"What happened?" Harry asked.

"I got distracted by one of the paintings," he replied miserably, "and by the time I starting moving again the stairways had shifted. I didn't know where she was but I thought… I thought we were both going to the party so I would just meet her there!"

Lockhart was still going on about curses and counter-curses while Dumbledore prodded Hermione with his wand. At length he looked up a Harry and the doubled-over Nott with a piercing but reassuring gaze.

"She isn't dead," he murmured. "Petrified. But not dead."

"Well that's good, isn't it?" Harry patted Nott reassuringly on the back as the other boy leaned into him, crying faintly into his shoulder. "I mean, if she's not dead, we can do something about it, can't we?"

Snape, who'd accompanied them along with McGonagall, was looking at him distastefully. "I suppose I can."

"Professor Sprout just started growing Mandrakes," Dumbledore told them. "As soon as they're ready a potion can be made…"

"And I will be more than happy to do so!" Lockhart chimed in with a large smile. "Since Miss Granger is one of my most studious and enthusiastic pupils, I would be honored…"

"I'm the Potions Master!" Snape broke in tersely. "I will make the draught!"

For a moment, Harry wondered if they were going to draw wands. He broke the silence by turning to Dumbledore. "Professor, there's something I need to speak to you about."

"Pertaining to the attack, perhaps?" Snape insinuated.

"Sir Nicholas already told us that the attack had occurred before Harry even left his deathday party," McGonagall rejoined. "There's no reason to believe he had anything to do with this or that he was up in that corridor for any reason apart from concern for a fellow student." Affronted, Snape stalked out of the office, while McGonagall turned to Harry and Nott. "Finish up with the head master, boys, and then come back to the tower as quickly as possible. If there's something about Petrifying students, I don't want mine wandering the halls."

"Gilderoy? You will take Miss Granger to the hospital wing?"

"Of course Headmaster," the man said with an exaggerate bob of his head.

"Then come, Theodore, Harry," he said, whisking the boys away before Lockhart could say anything more. "I believe you had something to talk to me about? In private?"

"Yeah." Harry nodded and followed Dumbledore up to his office. "I heard a voice," he said, the moment the door was shut.

"Oh? What manner of voice?"

"I don't know… I mean, I didn't _see_ anybody. But it sounded really angry." He swallowed. "It talked about killing and smelling blood. It seemed to be getting louder and then… that's when I found Hermione."

"Do you think this might have something to do with your cloak?" Nott looked at Harry and suggested tentatively.

"My invisibility cloak has been missing for a while now," he explained to Dumbledore. "I haven't been able to find it anywhere. Although… I heard the voice for quite a long way, unless the person was following me…"

"It's a possibility," Dumbledore admitted. "I'm glad you told me of this fact. It is something we will have to consider. And if you hear the voice again, I would appreciate you letting me know where and what it says. For now, however, perhaps you had best do as Professor McGonagall suggested and return to your common room. Being careful, of course."

As they headed down the silent hallways, Harry turned to Theo. "I hope you don't think I had anything to do with that," he reiterated. "I would never hurt somebody like that, let alone Hermione."

Theo gave him a small smile through his obvious distress. "I know. I trust you."

Harry's face broke into a relieved grin. "Well that's good. You seemed so upset at first…"

"Seeing her body like that… it was a bit shocking. I was not thinking clearly." He frowned as his eyes welled. "And I still feel guilty."

"It could have happened to anybody," Harry reassured him. "It's not like you were the one who attacked her. And about the attack – what was all that business about the Chamber of Secrets?"

"Oh, that?" Nott scoffed as he wiped his eyes will the heel of his hand. "And old legend. Supposedly Salazar Slytherin made a secret room before he left, a room only his 'heir' could open."

"Why would he do that?" Harry frowned.

"Because he did not like Muggleborns attending the school. He thought it tainted the purity of the magic. And do whenever the Chamber was opened it was purported that whatever was inside would help to eradicate them from the school." See the look on Harry's face, he made a smile. "Of course it is all nonsense, Harry. This school has been in use for ages and nobody has ever found any such chamber."

"But Hermione's parents are Muggles," Harry pointed out.

"That does not mean the rumor is right – only that whoever attacked her probably wants to feed the rumor. Really, that whole message was probably a scare tactic. I would not give it any credence."

When they reached the Gryffindor common room, however, they discovered that the chamber, with fears and speculations about it and what it might contain, was _all_ that people could talk about.

OOO

A/N: Another chapter in honor of yesterday and things are moving quickly! Don't worry, though, there's a reason for this. ;) Next chapter will see another important development, dealing with the chamber, rumors and blame – though most of you can probably guess where that plotline will be headed.

If all goes as planned, I will be able to post once or twice more before taking my leave. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and the next one will be coming up right away.


	21. Accusation

OOO

If Theo had been tied down and forced to make a metaphor for what he was going through, he would have compared it to a flood. There was the first terrifying deluge, waking up to find himself ankle-deep and trapped. After that came the persistent, gradually rising of the metaphoric water seeping into every corner of what he had always assumed was a rather inviolate sanctuary. Panicked, he did what he could to raise barriers; but every day the intrusion went a little deeper, every day he lost a little more ground.

There were still some parts of his mind and memories he managed to keep private; but Nott worried that soon there would be little left that Riddle didn't know, little left of himself. There was no place to be alone, no place to ponder that was private from his most unwelcome guest. Necessity was forcing him to develop mental barriers but he worried it would be too little too late.

After all, at this point even trying to fight back would be futile; his thoughts were still too unguarded and anything he thought up to throw off Riddle's influence would, for the moment, almost certainly be known by him. Nott refused to cede, however. The best defense was, as Napoleon said, a good offense and, one way or another, he would find a way to strike back at his subtle and ghostly captor.

Somehow. Before there was too little of himself left to do much of anything at all.

OOO

"…and my gram says a long time ago a girl died!" An exceedingly pale Neville told a group of first years who were sitting at the feet of the older students, nervously tittering.

"Is the monster going to come after us?" One girl asked.

"How will we even know what the monster is?"

"You should have a pretty good idea when you see the fangs," Lee Jordan added jovially.

"Lee!" Percy blustered. "Now there's no reason to say things like that!"

"Maybe if we get lucky you'll be next, Perce," Fred teased.

"Fred!" Katie Bell chastised him, but giggled as she did.

Percy, however, looked quite red in the face, Harry noticed, and seemed not at all amused.

"This who thing is just a rumor! There is no Chamber of Secrets; it's only somebody trying to get you riled!"

"Well if there is no Chamber, what attacked Hermione?" A boy asked defensively.

"I'm sure the teachers will figure it out," Percy reassured them as Harry and Nott joined up with the twins and Lee.

"Oh, I can think of something," Seamus Finnigan spoke up with a glare at Harry.

Immediately, Harry flushed. "What are you looking at me for?" He demanded. "I mean, yeah, I got there first, but that doesn't mean I had anything to do with it! Just ask Sir Nicholas – I was down with all the ghosts at the deathday party until Myrtle came floating through the ceiling! Besides, Hermione is my friend, you know that!"

"She's _your_ friend," he insinuated. "But can't you think of somebody that we all know rather disliked her? Somebody who's very good with animals? Somebody with dark wizards extended back in his ancestry as far back as anybody can remember?"

Harry glowered. "If you mean Draco," he snapped, "say it."

"Fine!" His cheeks flushed. "It's what we've all been thinking anyway!"

"_All_ of us?" Said Harry dryly. "Is that so?"

"Well Zach Smith told me that Draco wasn't with the rest of the Hufflepuffs at the feast but showed up right after Hermione's body was found!" He looked around at the other students. "And you know how crazy he is about monsters and other creatures! All those dead horses he says he plays with, always swimming around with that squid in the lake… he'd skip off to the forest every other day if Hagrid wasn't there to stop him. And his father… well, I think we all know about _him_."

"First off – Smith? Yeah, that's a real good unbiased source for information about Draco," George broke in. "Because he didn't hate him from the day they both got Sorted into Hufflepuff."

"Well I checked with Susan and she said he ran off too! Something about spiders," he scoffed. "Which basically means that he could have been anywhere, doing anything!"

"You've got an awfully big mouth for somebody who wasn't even with the Hufflepuffs and hardly says two words to Draco," Fred growled, agitated.

"This is just a bunch of baseless accusations!" Harry shot back. "I know Draco and, like Hermione or not, he wouldn't do what you're suggesting!"

"You've known him for a year," Seamus replied. "And maybe you didn't really know him at all."

"This is insane. I'm not going to listen to this." He stood up. "Have you forgotten the end of last year? Draco is a _hero_. Nothing like what you're making him out to be!"

"Could have just been biding his time, though, couldn't he have? We don't really know what happened down there in that forest, do we?" Seamus remained defiant. "We just have his word and Hagrid's. Who, or so I've heard, was mixed up with something like this when _he_ was in school!"

"Oh, so now it's Hagrid too? You're nutters." He headed for the stairwell to the dorms. "And I hope you don't think anybody is stupid enough to listen to that ridiculous story you've come up with."

He left with vocal support from the two Weasleys and Nott hot on his heels.

"Can you believe that?" He asked Theo, pulling off his socks. "Draco! Other than us, I can't think of a person less likely…"

"Maybe he has a point," Theo whispered quietly.

"What?" Harry's tone was flat and disbelieving.

"I mean, the cloak and map are gone. And he would have known about them. If he was planning something like this – no wonder he wouldn't want you to know he had them."

"But you said yourself… I mean, he's no more likely than you or the twins or Ginny or anybody else who knew!"

"Yeah, but none of us have anything against Hermione. Well… perhaps Ginny. But she was at the Gryffindor table when the attack happened. If Draco wasn't…"

"You weren't either; I'm not going to go suspecting my friends just because I didn't keep track of their whereabouts!"

"It's not just that, Harry," Nott said gently. "Maybe it wasn't even his fault. It's Halloween, everybody was in high spirits – you know how Draco is about beasts. He's like Hagrid, he tends to underestimate their dangerous capabilities." He sighed. "I confess, I had heard something about the previous death at the school." He looked gravely at Harry. "It's the reason Hagrid got expelled all those years ago – smuggling dangerous creatures into the school and trying to raise them."

Harry frowned. "How come nobody else has ever heard this?"

Nott shrugged. "It was over sixty years ago. A lot of people forgot. Remember Harry – my father is a lot older than most of the other parents of the kids here. The stories of Hogwarts I heard when growing up, what few he chanced to tell, involved a whole different generation of students apart from your parents or Draco's."

"Well I don't believe it," Harry said firmly. "I won't believe it of Draco and I don't believe it of Hagrid either. If he was punished for it, I'm sure it was unjustly."

"If you say so…" Theo said with the beleaguered air of one talking to a stubborn child.

Harry rolled over, confident that even if Theo had his doubts, nobody else would buy the cock and bull story that people like Smith and Seamus were selling. Draco was a good guy; people could see that. It was obvious.

OOO

The next morning, Harry and Draco found out that such assumptions were rather unfounded.

"Why is everybody looking at me like I've been drowning kittens?" Draco whispered to Susan as they went down to breakfast.

Susan exchanged a look with Hannah, who glanced at Ernie who looked back to Susan. "Draco…"

"I'm so sorry!" Hannah looked anguished. "Yesterday, after you ran up to us in the hall, Smith grabbed my arm on the way back to the dorm and asked why you weren't with us! I didn't think anything of it but I said you went off chasing spiders."

"And I said the same thing to Seamus Finnigan," Susan added apologetically.

"So what? I was curious about where they were going! That's… it's not that _weird_."

"Draco," Ernie said, pulling him aside, "they aren't saying you were chasing spiders. They think you were… They're saying you were the one who opened up the Chamber."

"What?" Draco's face bespoke a mixture of horror and confusion. "But… but why! What reason would I have?!"

"We know you don't have any," Hannah assured him. "But they're saying you fought a lot with Hermione."

"You've always liked monsters and maybe you got curious about what was in the Chamber," Susan pointed out.

"And your family does have a long Slytherin history, even if you weren't Sorted into it," Ernie finished.

"I know I did and I know I have and maybe I do… but I _didn't!_"

"We know that," Susan reiterated with a sigh. "It just doesn't look very good to people who don't know you as well."

"And I'm sure Smith isn't doing anything to disabuse people of that idea," he said bitterly.

"He hasn't liked you from day one, you know that," Susan said. "He's taking this as an opportunity to imply that he was right all along to suspect you. The bad thing is, I think he's got a lot of people convinced."

"When did all of this happen anyway?"

"After you went to bed a bunch of the first years were nervous and wanted explanations. Cedric started saying that there were a lot of rumors and legends and then Zach started interrupting with his theories and accusations. His version of the story sounded a lot more exciting than the down-played sense that Cedric was talking so of course everybody began talking that up." She looked at him sympathetically. "And I know it isn't right but for those born in the wizarding world… not everybody trusts the name Malfoy you know."

"Cedric didn't believe them did he?"

"He was the one who eventually told Zach to keep his mouth shut and get to bed," Ernie told him. "He was really confident too, said that we shouldn't suspect other students of this and told the first years about the end of last year."

"At least I have somebody pulling for me," Draco grumbled.

"And us!" Hannah reminded, but then frowned. "Of course I'm not so sure about the other houses."

"You said Seamus was saying stuff too?" He sat down, casting a glance at the Gryffindor table and a group of first years who were casting him sidelong glances.

Ernie nodded glumly. "I'm sure Harry or Theo could tell you more about it than us. I haven't really been outside of the Hufflepuff dorm since last night. But given the looks you're getting… sorry pal."

"This is ridiculous," Draco snapped, ladling porridge and strawberries into a bowl. Just then, he noticed Zach stepping up to the table; losing his temper for a moment, Draco stepped back from the table and confronted him, Dragon following at his heels. "You know, I have been nothing but polite since day one. And then you go and do something like… What is your _problem?_" He snapped.

"Maybe I don't like people who attack fellow students," Smith answered with a smirk. "Maybe I don't want to end up Petrified like Hermione. I mean, that's what seems to happen to your enemies isn 't it?" He laughed as Draco flushed. "What happened, Draco?" He taunted with faux sympathy. "Did your dad tell you about the Chamber? Maybe had a book on how to open it? Did you get a little curious about what was inside it, maybe thought you'd give her a scare? Did you lose control?" Draco trembled. "Were you going to kill her?"

"Shut your lying mouth!" Draco brought his fist crashing into Zacharias' jaw, sending him smashing into a Ravenclaw fourth year behind him.

His face flushed, Zach glowered at him from the floor then leapt up and made to throw himself at the panting Draco. He found himself suddenly restrained by a quick-thinking and rapidly acting Cedric Diggory while Ernie and Hannah helped to hold Draco back.

"I knew it!" Zach shrieked. "I knew it, you violent monster!" He pointed at Draco accusing. "I'll have you thrown out of Hogwarts for this, you'll get expelled and they'll never let you back in!"

"Stop spewing lies about me you nasty little wanker!" Draco screamed back while Dragon barked incessantly. "I don't even know if there is a stupid Chamber or how to open it and I would never attack another student like that! I never hurt anybody!"

"Boys!" Professor Sprout pushed her way through the crowd that had gathered around the two boys. "Stop this instant!" Draco relaxed into his friend's arms and Zach stilled with a backwards glare a Cedric as the prefect silently released him. The slightly grubby witch looked from one to the other. "This behavior is absolutely outrageous. Mr. Smith – you have no proof of what you are suggesting and it's only causing anxiety and tension, so I would suggest you keep your conjectures to yourself. And Mr. Malfoy – no matter what anybody says about you, you have no right to assault another student like that!" She put her hands on her hips and glared. "Twenty points from Hufflepuff – apiece! And I will see both of you in detention."

With that she returned to the head table and the Great Hall, which had fallen silent, gradually began to fill up with noise again. Draco and Zacharias glared at each other for a moment before Draco brushed past him with Dragon at his heels, breakfast forgotten, and stormed out of the castle, heading for the lake.

"Come on," Susan sighed, followed on her heels by Hannah and then, after a pause to grab a basket of toast and marmalade, Ernie. They found him sitting by the lake, as he usually did, looking out at the water.

"Thanks guys," he said with a smile, ceasing to pet Dragon for a moment and reaching for a piece of toast.

"You can't lose it like that," Susan chided as she spread marmalade over a piece of bread. "Otherwise it'll only look like he was right all along and give him more ammunition."

"I know. But…" Draco shrugged. "He got to me. It was like my first day at Hogwarts all over again except that this time – what if somebody does believe him?"

"There's no proof," Ernie reassured him. "They can't expel you based on circumstance and a grudge."

"Besides, it isn't like your dad's without any clout of his own," Susan pointed out. Draco shot her a look and she lifted a hand up defensively. "Only bringing it up."

"Look!" Hannah pointed behind them. "It's Harry!"

"Harry!" Draco grinned and waved.

"Hey." He sat on the grass and began munching the toast as well. "Quite a scene you made in there."

"Yeah." He sighed then looked at Harry. "Harry, be honest with me. The Gryffindors… are they saying it too?"

Harry bit his lip but nodded. "Yeah. Seamus was going on about it last night. The twins and I told him off for you but…"

"Nott isn't here," Draco observed in a tense voice.

"No. He's not." Harry looked at him with worry. "Draco, you know that he's a bit…"

"Yeah. I know." He laughed. "That's just great. Now even my friends are losing trust in me."

"Don't say that. It's Hermione so it's only natural… Well, I believe you had nothing to do with it. And the twins don't either."

"Or us," Hannah reminded.

"And I'll be if we ask Ginny and Luna they won't think you had anything to do with it either. They're smarter than that – they're in Ravenclaw after all – and even if Luna believes a lot of things she's never going to believe you're a murderous Heir of Slytherin."

Draco chewed his toast thoughtfully, and then broke into a small smile. "Guess you're right."

"It's just rumor and people will believe anything when they're scared," Harry reassured him. "A few more days and they'll have moved on to blaming somebody else. Or they'll find out who's really done this and then Smith will look like an idiot."

"You're probably right." He stood and started for the castle. "Let's get going before we're late."

OOO

For a few days it looked as though Harry was right. Nott kept a wary distance, but Ginny and Luna assured him that everything would be fine and that they didn't think for a moment he'd had the slightest hand in the matter. Zach was still doing all he could to cast suspicion on Draco, but by the end of the week it was looking as though even the nervous first years were having their doubts. There was still a great deal of tittering about the Chamber and more than one class had derailed Professor Binns into a frustrated discussion of the possibility of its existence. This had subsided into an interest in the Chamber itself, however, and there was less and less talk of Draco being the heir.

Then, the Friday before the Quidditch match, Justin Finch-Fletchley walked into the Hufflepuff bathroom to find a Petrified Zacharias Smith lying face down in a half-filled tub. He was unmoving and at first Justin, thinking he'd drowned, ran into the Common Room screaming and wearing nothing but a towel.

Draco hadn't even been dressed when he'd been marched in front of the Headmaster by Cedric, as much for his own safety to get him away from the crowd as any actual belief in his guilt.

"I didn't do it," he whispered miserably to Cedric as they walked through the still-empty. "I'm being framed." He looked up at him. "You believe me… don't you?"

"Yeah, Draco." He nodded. "I do."

But they both had a rather nasty feeling that, at this point, that might not be enough.

OOO

The moment he'd gotten the letter off of the owl's leg and scanned over it, the blood drained from Lucius Malfoy's face. Forgetting to feed the owl or let it out, he stormed up the steps, screaming.

"Narcissa!" He burst into the bedroom where she was writing a letter. "Narcissa, come here."

"You look as pale as your peacocks, Lucius," she said, setting the quill aside. "Whatever's the matter?"

He thrust the letter towards her.

"It's Draco." He watched her read. "Someone has opened the Chamber and…"

"…they're blaming him," she finished, looking up distraught.

OOO

A/N: So a little more about Nott and things are starting to look bad for Draco… No worries, though. They're both resourceful. ;) Plus, as this goes on, we'll get to see some more development with Lucius, Ron, and a host of other characters.


	22. Injured

OOO

"Thank you for escorting Draco down here. You may go, Mr. Diggory," Dumbledore said with a nod.

"If it's all the same, sir, I think I would like to stay." He gave Draco's shoulder an encouraging squeeze, for which Draco gave a grateful smile. "He's my housemate and I know it looks pretty bleak right now. I think somebody should stand up for him."

"Very noble of you Mr. Diggory – seeing as it was another housemate of yours who was a victim and an antagonists of Draco's."

"That doesn't mean Draco did it, sir," Cedric said firmly.

Dumbledore nodded again, and then turned his attention to Draco. "I'm sure you aware of how very serious this is," he said, boring into the boy with his ice-blue eyes.

"I… I don't know what to say." Draco shook his head. "I mean, other than I didn't do it. I know it looks bad…"

"It does," Dumbledore confirmed.

"He's obviously being framed," Cedric broke in. "Look, sir, we don't have a single bit of hard evidence that it was Draco. It's all circumstantial. But whoever really is doing this wants us to think that it's Draco. With that in mind, I think I might have a solution."

"Oh?" Dumbledore looked at him, somewhat amused.

"A pensieve. Perhaps not for the attack on Zach since Draco was sleeping when that happened and wouldn't remember anything, but at least for the attack on Hermione. If he says that he was off doing something else after he split up from Ernie, Susan and Hannah, then that should be what he remembers, not attacking Hermione. Trace the memory from the moment he left them to the moment where he joined the crowd where the body was found. If there's no attack on Hermione that means he didn't do it!"

"Admirable thought process. However, there are a few problems. First, the pensieve offers very limited viewing capabilities. Even were I to extract a memory from Draco, not everybody could see it. Most would have to take my word as voucher. More problematic, however, as I'm sure you know, is the problem that memories can be altered."

"He couldn't do that!" Cedric looked genuinely angry. "He's nowhere near the skill it would take to successfully graft a false memory in with a true! It's technically possible but so utterly improbable…"

"It won't stop people from accusing and insinuating that that's what I did," Draco muttered. "If they think I'm dark and powerful enough to summon some beast from some chamber that nobody else even knows how to find I'm sure they can be convinced that I can fix a memory too to make it look like I'm innocent."

"Draco, it's still worth a try…"

"No thanks." He shook his head. "It won't change anybody's mind. And I'd rather not have people thinking that you're in on it too." He looked up at Dumbledore. "Am I going to be expelled?"

"No," the elderly wizard replied, quickly shaking his head. "As Cedric said, there is no direct evidence against you. However, I felt it prudent to warn you that there are some who are voicing such concerns. Be careful and aware; stay with other people and give as little reason to accuse as possible. For your own safety as well as that of those around you."

"I won't attack anybody – not that I have, but I won't start – if that's what you mean."

"I do. Avoid incidents such as the one with Mr. Smith in the Great Hall and be aware not simple of what is truth but what is perceived. That, as much as anything, can create guilt in the eyes of others."

Draco looked at him, unsure of what to say; finally he nodded. "I'll… I'll do my best. Can I go now?"

"You may."

"Come on." Cedric steered him towards the door. "Let's get you out of here and dressed before you're late to class."

Fortunately, because he was so late in getting ready, the bathrooms and dormitory were virtually deserted so that he had no tense encounters until he joined the rest of his class. His three friends flanked him on the way into class, Susan glaring at others as if daring them to say anything to her face. Nobody did, at least not loud enough to be heard, but Draco saw the way he was being looking at. Younger students glanced at him out of the corners of their eyes, as if afraid that he might attack them next, while older students looked at him with a mixture of anger, wariness and contempt.

A few more weeks of this, Draco thought, and expulsion might not be necessary; leaving of his own free will seemed like a better and better choice. Meanwhile, a few stories above, the Floo Port in Dumbledore's office flared.

"Hello Lucius," he smiled.

"You had better explain to me what's happening with my son!" Lucius demanded.

OOO

"Hagrid was involved with something?" Ginny gave Harry a doubtful look as they sat down to breakfast at the end of the Ravenclaw table. "Hagrid? I mean – _really?_ He doesn't seem like the safest person to be around and, to be fair, his cooking is absolutely awful. But I can't imagine he would have done anything that would merit expulsion."

"That's what Nott said that his dad said," Harry shrugged. "I don't know anything about it first hand."

"Nott's dad?" Ginny scoffed. "As if he would give any truth about the matter. After the way he's treated Theo it isn't hard to see he's a Slytherin through and through. Probably a Death Eater too," she whispered. "He would want to make a Gryffindor look as guilty as possible. In fact, if that was the reason why he was expelled then what's happening to Draco probably happened to Hagrid. Because there's no way someone like either of them could be the heir."

"You know," Luna said as she spread butter on a slice of toast, "perhaps the best place to get the truth from would be the source itself."

"What? Nott's dad?" Harry looked at her, puzzled.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Hagrid, Harry. We could _ask_ him."

"What? Just waltz up and ask about the conditions under which he was expelled? Inquire about the Chamber? Don't you think it's a bit of a sensitive subject?"

"I'm sure he would understand if we explained it. Nott could tell us about his father story and… speaking of which," she trailed off in distraction, "where is Nott anyway?"

Harry's face fell. "I haven't seen him since we left the common room this morning," he whispered. "I think he's visiting Hermione. He feels really guilty about losing track of her in the hallway. I think he's even having nightmares about it."

"Hnh." Ginny made a non-committal noise. "Anyway, the way I see it is there's only one way to clear Draco's name for sure and that means finding out who really is opening up the Chamber. For the moment, Hagrid is the best clue we have to go on. Figuring out what happened a long time ago might give us a hint about what's happening now."

"There's the attack on Dragon," Luna reminded.

"That too. But that happened around Hagrid's hut," Ginny pointed out. "Anyway you look at it, I think we have to pay him a visit to get a better idea of what might be happening."

"Well that's something you two might be able to do in your spare time. Meanwhile – as I'm sure you know from your brother, Gin – we've had and will be having Quidditch practice practically every day. Wood's been training us like mad for this match against Slytherin. In fact, I'm probably supposed to be out on the field right now warming up."

The girls nodded.

"We'll be cheering for you," Ginny assured him.

"Be careful not to fly into any Thestrals! And make sure not to get fooled by any wandering Snidgets!"

Harry grinned as he grabbed a last muffin and left the table. "Thanks!"

As Harry left, Ginny snapped her fingers. "There's something else too!"

"You've thought of something?"

"Milli!" Ginny practically clapped. "If there's anybody who would know about dark things going on it's probably the Slytherins. And they might not say anything around the rest of the school – but in the safety of their own common room they might talk or speculate in ways they normally wouldn't! Millicent can be our source on the inside to tell us if anybody knows anything they're not telling – anything that might help to clear Draco."

Luna bobbed her head up and down. "Yes, Millicent has better sense than to let houses ruin friendships. She would probably be happy to help us help Draco."

OOO

Ron looked up at the sky despondently; the air outside was thick and muggy with grey clouds hanging over head and he thought he heard thunder in the distance. Competing against Gryffindor and Potter was bad enough and rain would be another nuisance to add to the stack of challenges, right on top of the crowd being perpetually against them and his own lack of confidence.

"You look like you're about to be led off to execution." Pansy ran up to him on the field.

"It looks like rain," he said by way of changing the subject.

"Then put a repelling charm on your uniform so you stay dry. Do you want me to do it for you?"

He shrugged. "It's find."

"Well I'm not having you get pneumonia," she said, pulling out her wand. "Otherwise I'll have to use Crabbe or Goyle for a potions partner and nobody wants that. There," she said with a wave. "Now you'll stay nice and rain free. Cheer up." She shook him by the shoulder. "You have a broom that's fast as lightning, you've been practicing all summer…"

"I feel like I'm about to lose my breakfast." He looked at her in despair. "Flint's going to kill me if I don't win this one. And I'm facing off against Potter!"

"Don't think about him," Pansy commanded sternly.

"Him who? Flint or Potter?"

"Either of them! Look, Flint blows a lot of hot air but he won't do anything about it even if we do lose – which we won't. And Potter's reputation is better than he is and you've a better broom and more practice. There's no earthy reason – apart from your own self-sabotage – that you can't beat him."

"You really think so?"

"Ron, how many times are you going to ask me that? As I've said a hundred times, of course I do. I wouldn't have bothered with the brooms and everything if I didn't. I believe in you Ron but you need to believe in yourself if you want to make this happen." She clapped his shoulder. "I need to get back to the bleachers. But I'll be cheering with every ounce of air in my lungs."

Ron could feel his ears turning pink. "Thanks!" He blurted, then turned and ran to join the rest of the team before she could see how flustered he was.

Pansy, however, noticed regardless and smiled as she joined the rest of the silver and green throng to watch the game.

After a tense handshake between Flint and Wood, the teams took to the air. Trying to beat back his nausea, Ron focused on the thrill of flying on such a powerful broom. He sped around the pitch, looking down and searching for the Snitch. Out of the corner of his eye he saw that Potter was doing the same thing, albeit at a somewhat slower speed. For a moment Ron thought about taunting him as a means of bolstering his confidence.

No, he told himself firmly. Remembering Pansy's advice, he shut out any and all thoughts of Flint and Potter and kept his attention solely on the only task he had at hand – finding the Snithc. As he swooped around he heard the crowd from a distance – apparently Potter was having trouble with a Bludger – but he tried to ignore it. Even when it began to rain he barely notice.

Then he saw a flicker of gold at the far end of the field, fluttering above the head of a Gryffindor Chaser, Angelina Johnson if he remembered correctly. He zoomed to catch it, followed on his heels by Potter, but they were both too late by the time they reached it. As he wheeled the broom around another Bludger, or perhaps the same one from earlier, came crashing between him and Harry. Swerving to avoid it, he gained height and resumed searching for the Snitch.

The second time he saw it, he spotted it first but Potter, still observant despite his Bludger issues, was much closer. Panicked, Ron urged his broom on as fast as he could, reaching dizzying speeds in a matter of moments. He stretched out his hand towards the ground at the same time Potter did when, all at once, Potter was clown back by something. He felt his hand close around the Snitch and he pulled up short, stopping his broom with a suddenness that nearly made him pitch off of it.

"I've got it!" He lifted the Snitch high and screamed.

The crowd apart from the Slytherins, however, was pointing behind him, murmurs of concern rippling through the rows of spectators. Teachers and students began flooding onto the field.

"Slytherin wins!" Madame Hooch declared and there were cheers and applause from the one-fourth of the group that had remained in their seats.

Ron turned, however, to find the rest of the crowd gathering around a fallen and bleeding Harry. His brothers were wrestling a Bludger back into the case with the help of Wood and Madame Hooch, shouting accusations at him and the rest of the Slytherin team all the while. The rest of the Gryffindors, and many Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, were looking at him like he had killed somebody.

"Way to win. Cheating a practically killing Harry," a familiar voice accused him.

"Ginny." He grimaced. "You would think that I…"

There was a sudden gasp from the crowd and Ginny, ignoring him now, pushed through it to find out what had happened. All Ron could see was a blond head in a garish robe bending over him. Then the crowd parted, Harry being carried off the field, and a small smile quirked Ron's lips.

He wasn't happy about Harry's injury distracting from his victory. And he knew that over the next few weeks the insinuations of cheating would be nearly incessant. But seeing Harry with the bones of his arm accidentally removed went a long way to brightening up his day.

And, he thought as Pansy slipped her hand in his and lead him back to the common room celebration, there were other positives as well.

OOO

"He needs his rest, now shoo!" Madame Pomfrey waved the three girls out of the infirmary as they exchanged looks with Harry.

"Don't worry," Ginny whispered to him. "You'll be out of here soon."

"I hope so," he groaned. "That idiot Lockhart…"

"Out!" This time she was more insistent so Ginny reluctantly turned away with Luna.

"Great," Ginny frowned. "Now Harry's out of commission too. I hope he gets better soon in case anything happens. I mean, he'll be safe but if there's some sort of creature wandering around…"

"He and Draco were the one's who helped me out with that troll," Millicent pointed out. "Nobody better to have next to you in a pinch."

"It would be helpful to have Harry with us," Luna agreed. "But he should be better soon."

"He'd be better now if that moron hadn't gotten his hands on him! Honestly, letting him teach? I really can't understand it," Ginny fumed.

"Perhaps nobody else wants the job," Luna mused.

"The rest of the Slytherins say it's cursed," Milli pointed out. "That nobody teaches it for more than one year before something happens to them."

"Well I hope it's true," Ginny hissed vindictively, "and that something happens to Lockhart. Shame to have to waste a whole year on him but at least it will only be one."

As they rounded the corner, they found themselves face to face with Draco and Cedric.

"Hey guys." He greeted them with a wave. "Have you been to see Harry?"

"Yeah." Ginny nodded. "He's doing about as well as he can be, considering what that moron did to him, but he's in for a rough night. If you were hoping to see him, though, I don't think that will be possible."

Draco's face fell. "Why not?"

"Madame Pomfrey doesn't think he's up to seeing any more visitors." Ginny shrugged. "She just finished sending us packing."

"Perhaps you could use your cloak later on?" Luna suggested.

"No way!" He shook his head. "The last think I need for my reputation is to get caught wandering around under an invisibility cloak. In fact, I gave mine to Professor Sprout for safekeeping so nobody would think I was using it. The last think I need to do is add fuel to the 'blame Draco' fire by sneaking about. I couldn't even come here alone – everybody else was tired so I had to badger Cedric to come with me."

"Was that a pun, Draco?" Cedric teased. "I was glad to do it, though," Cedric assured the girls. "I saw what happened out there on the field; it's every Seeker's nightmare. Harry handled it well and I really thought he was going to pull it off at the end until that Bludger came from behind. Nasty injury, that."

"Well it wouldn't have been so bad if Lockhart hadn't stuck that stupid blond head of his into it!"

The Hufflepuff laughed. "No, I suppose not. Well, come on, Draco. We'd better get going."

"Where are you headed?" Luna looked at him.

"Detention," he sighed. "The one I got for arguing with Smith."

"I'll take you down and make sure nothing happens on the way," Cedric assured him. "You two had better get back as well. I don't want to hear of anything bad happening to either of you, strolling about like this."

As the two Hufflepuffs went back the way they came, Ginny turned around with the others and headed down the steps. As they did, Millicent stopped suddenly, pausing to listen.

"Milli?" Ginny turned around. "What's wrong?"

"I thought I heard a sliding…" She turned toward the wall where there was a thick pipe and rapped on it with her fingers. The moment she did, her frown deepened. "That's odd."

"What is it?"

"This pipe is clogged." As she stared at it, Ginny and Luna gathered behind her.

"How do you know?"

"Mum's a plumber; I know what a blocked pipe sounds like."

"Water?" Ginny suggested.

"No. You'd hear it rushing. Besides, I didn't think these pipes… there! Did you hear that?"

"It sounded like a soft, scraping kind of noise," Luna observed.

"And…" Ginny strained her ears then paled. "Come on!" She ran back up the steps.

"Where are you going?" Millicent called, following.

"We need to find Draco," she panted. "I need to ask him something, I need to…"

The girls stopped cold in their tracks.

OOO

A/N: Yep, that's right. Cliffhanger! See you in three weeks. :) Find out what went on with Lucius, who messed up the Bludger, what happens to the girls, etc. etc. – in 21 days.


	23. Moving Shadows

OOO

Narcissa brushed the ashes off of her husband when he stepped through the Floo port. Though his brow was furrowed, she still held out hope that the situation might not be totally bleak for Draco.

"What happened with Dumbledore?" She whispered.

"The old fool." Lucius tossed aside his walking stick and shed the light traveling robe he wore. "Says that no matter what he believes, there's nothing he can do to silence gossips."

"Is Draco in any actual trouble?" She pressed.

"Not so far," he sighed, falling down into a chair in front of the fire. "They have no hard evidence against him, only a series of unfortunate coincidences that go against his favor."

"Enough to condemn him in the minds of his peers," she said plaintively.

"But he can't be thrown out. Not yet." Lucius looked up at his wife, furious. "And can you believe that idiotic, Muggle-pandering old fool had the nerve to blame me for Draco's troubles?"

"What?" Narcissa hissed.

"Precisely! He insinuated that Draco might have come into contact with dark objects I was keeping around the house and implied that people would not be so quick to blame him if I had not my reputation! He can't keep control in his own school, could have a monster wandering around the hallways, and he blames _me_ for Draco's predicament!"

"Imbecile!" Narcissa's hands clenched at her sides, but she nevertheless shot a sideways glance at her husband. "Lucius, dear? I do not want to give anything that blathering geriatric says credence, but you don't suppose Draco could have come across anything?"

"Nonsense." He shook his head firmly. "Definitely not. I check the wards every few months and there's no way a wizard of his age could have gotten through any of them."

"How long has it been since you checked?" She rubbed a nervous hand around her wrist. "I'm sorry, Lucius. I do not mean to suggest that we are to blame for this. But if it's even a possibility – I do not want Draco to suffer for a lapse in our judgment."

He looked at her in disbelief for a moment, but then bowed his head in concession. "I must admit, it has been a while. Perhaps I should check to be sure that Draco or Harry didn't stumble upon something or accidentally release anything while they were here. Draco's waves of accidental magic were quite strong when he was a child. It isn't _entirely_ out of the realm of possibility, I suppose," he admitted begrudgingly.

"Will it take much time to check them? Is there anything I can do to assist?"

"Since I placed the wards and know where and what kind they are, it will be quickest if I do it. Running a thorough check, perhaps a few days? Not very long, I should think."

"It would set my mind at ease," she confessed.

"Then I shall begin to do so at once."

He began systematically going through the house, starting from the basement and moving up, checking each source and cache in turn. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but he took his time and made sure to be thorough. The hour grew late but, out of worry for Draco, he insistently rubbed the slpeep out of his eyes and continued on his task. About a fifth of the way through, however, his efforts were brought to an abrupt halt by the appearance of a red-eyed Narcissa, disheveled and in her night clothes.

"Is there something wrong?" He slid a panel of bookshelf back into place after making sure that all of the daggers enclosed behind it were accounted for and untouched.

"Draco," she whispered.

"I have found anything out of place." He rushed over. "Did something else happen? Was another attack blamed on Draco? Has evidence been produced against him?" Then he noticed his wife's eyes were tearing. "Narcissa?"

"It is Draco!" She murmured and the tears spilled over. "Draco was the one attacked!"

"What?" Lucius felt his stomach drop and shook his head. "No, no that cannot be right."

"They found him along with the Diggory boy outside of the greenhouses." She sniffed and daubed her eyes with a handkerchief clenched in one hand.

"Is he dead?" The forced whisper came.

"Only Petrified, thank goodness." She sniffed again then laughed sardonically. "I suppose this will clear him if nothing else. But… oh, Lucius!"

He held her to his chest and rubbed, feeling numb as he did. His son had been attacked, his son had been Petrified, could have been killed…

"Dumbledore will pay with his job," he growled. "I suppose he's been taken to the infirmary?"

"That's what his Head of House said," she replied in a hoarsening voice. "She was the one who contacted us. He was going to serve a detention with her for fighting with the Smith boy and she was the one who found him." Narcissa tried to blink away a fresh round of tears. "She was very complimentary you know, dear. Called Draco a good-hearted boy. "

"As if that will help him now," Lucius muttered, releasing his wife. "I'm not leaving him in that castle for those idiots to watch over him. Whoever did this might come back to finish the job."

"What are you doing to do?" She asked as he pulled a robe on over his suit.

"I'm going to retrieve him and bring him home, that's what," he said, brushing his hair back and grabbing his walking stick. "We will guard him until he can be cured. I can brew a potion as competently as anybody and I'm sure I can find access to the materials needed for the potion much more quickly, with my resources. They're waiting to grow the mandrakes, but I'm not going to have Draco remain Petrified for that long."

"Severus would brew it for you, I'm sure, if you asked," Narcissa suggested.

"Are you saying I'm incompetent?" He snapped at her.

"I'm saying that it's best not to take chances with our son!" She rejoined, furious. "Snape's whole _job_ is brewing potions – it is no slight to you to suggest that he might be better at it!"

His jaw clenched, but again he nodded. "Of course. Of course. For Draco." He swallowed. "I apologize for my outburst. It's only that…"

"I understand," she interrupted, touching his arm. "Now go and get our son back before something worse happens to him."

With a nod, he disappeared into the fire.

OOO

The trick, Theo realized, was to realize that, unlike Unspeakables which were fueled with hatred or Patroni which depended upon joyful memories and positive feelings, emotions did not help in Occlumency; in fact, they were detrimental. Getting mad about his situation, worried about his friends, anguished, furious… they were all 'ins' to his mind. They opened him up and made the whole situation worse. Instead, he had to suppress his emotions, close himself off.

Let everything fall away. Concern, hatred, anger, guilt – everything. He allowed his mind to drift, to go back to an earlier time when it was considered improper to show emotion, before an excitable young boy had coaxed him into wearing his heart on his sleeve. He felt a small burst of panic when he realized where they were going, what they were likely going to do once they go there, but he managed to allow even that to fade.

It didn't need to be long, he thought. Just long enough to try, at least.

OOO

"Theo? What are you doing?" Ginny stopped short when she saw the older Gryffindor kneeling in the middle of the floor, bent over a book with his wand pointed at it. "Did you come to see Harry? And what is that…"

"Ginny!" His head snapped up. "Ginny what are you doing?" His eyes flickered as Luna and Millicent joined her.

"We stopped by to see how Harry was doing when we thought we heard something. I was just going to see Draco…" She shook her head. "what are you doing to that book?"

"You shouldn't have interrupted me!" He burst out, then stood and ran, leaving the book behind in his wake.

"Theo!" Ginny called after him and gave brief chase, but when she rounded the corner couldn't find him. Backtracking, she saw Luna and Millicent had picked up the book and were flipping through its pages. "What is it?"

"I dunno." Milli frowned. "It looks blank inside."

"What do you think Theo was trying to do with it?" Ginny held out her hands and Millicent handed her the volume.

"Destroy it, I think." Luna frowned. "I don't like that book. It has a bad feel to it."

"Luna, it's blank," Milli said.

"Doesn't mean it's not hiding anything." Ginny pulled out her wand, but Millicent grabbed her wrist.

"Are you sure that's a good idea? If there is something wrong with it, we probably shouldn't mess with it," she pointed out. "Maybe we should get a teacher before something goes wrong."

"And tell them what? That Theo dropped a diary we're scared of? They won't pay attention. Even if they do, it might get Theo in trouble if there's something wrong with it. Besides that, we might get in trouble for wandering about this late."

"Theo is still wandering," Luna murmured. "Did you see where he went?"

Ginny shook her head. "He disappeared when I rounded the corner. Something weird is going on and this book might have something to do with it. We need to check it out."

"Well if we're not going to get any teachers," Millicent said, "maybe we should at least sneak in to see Harry again. He at least has some experience with this sort of… thing."

"Alright. We'll take this to Harry."

"We won't have to sneak in if we wait a day or so," Luna said.

"True." Ginny sighed. "Alright, we wait. Luna and I will stash this. Not that we don't think you should have it," she said to Millicent, "but if this is dark then the last place I want it to be is around a bunch of Slytherins. Who knows what might happen if one of them found it and did something with it? Someone like Pansy, I mean."

Millicent nodded. "We'd better head back."

"Keep an eye out for Theo, alright?" Ginny added with a look towards Luna. "Something is out of place." She bit her lip. "You don't think… I mean… not _Theo_," she whispered.

"His eyes…" Luna murmured. "I feel like there is a shadow moving."

"As soon as possible, then," Millicent said. "Before anything else happens – to Theo or anybody else."

The made their way nervously back to their dormitories, then, and each settled down for a rather fitful night of sleep. When they woke up they made for Harry's room where they might have realized that something did happen, something had gone wrong.

If they had ever reached the room.

OOO

"I can't believe anybody suspected him, even for a minute." Susan looked down into her porridge, and then another wave of tears came. "I knew he didn't do it!"

"I asked him not to hurt me because I was a Muggle-born," Justin muttered miserably. "He sleeps right next to me, I should know him better than that. But with everything that Smith said last year and then the attacks started up this year and everybody was saying it was him… I should have given him a chance," he said in a guilt-laden voice, gathering up his school supplies before leaving the table.

"And Cedric!" Hannah picked apart her buttered toast, tearing it into crumbs without actually eating any of it. "Who would hurt Cedric? He never did anything to anybody!"

"Something is… I don't know! Something is really, really wrong. I mean, everybody was looking at Draco but now that he's gone…" Ernie kept stirring a cup of tea but, like Hannah, didn't actually eat or drink.

"And he isn't even hear, anymore," Hannah whispered.

"What do you mean?" Susan looked over.

"I went up to the infirmary this morning before breakfast to visit him and Cedric, but when I got there only Cedric was sitting in the bed." She fidgeted. "Harry was awake though. He said Draco's father came storming in past midnight, demanding the body of his son. Rumor is that he's gone to the school's Board of Governors, trying to get Dumbledore fired."

The remaining Hufflepuff second years exchanged worried glances.

"What good will sacking Dumbledore do?" Ernie said, disbelieving. "If anything Dumbledore's the only one who might know how to help!"

"Well what good has he done?" Susan shot back. "I mean, I've heard as many bad rumors about Lucius Malfoy as you, especially from my Aunt Amelia. But how many people have been Petrified now? Have they even _looked_ for a Chamber of Secrets? Called in Aurors? Done anything more than let people wag their tongues about Draco and wait for the next attack?"

"So what are we supposed to do in the meanwhile?" Ernie shot back. "Go looking ourselves?"

"We could, you know," Hannah murmured.

"What?" Susan turned to look at her.

"I mean, we don't have much to go on. But we could try to find out something. Maybe look at the place where he was attacked." She snapped her fingers. "And what about the spiders?!"

"What about them?" Ernie still looked confused.

"Draco said that the spiders were behaving strangely the night of the first attack. That they were running away from the castle or something. Maybe the two things were related."

Susan looked at her doubtfully. "A line of spiders and attacks that Petrify? I don't see how they could be related."

"Maybe it isn't obvious. Maybe… we could see where they go. He wanted to see where they were headed, remember? Perhaps we should do the same. I mean, Draco knows more about animals than anybody I know, at least in our year. If they were acting strangely, strange enough to get him interested, then it had to be a sign of something."

For a moment Susan hesitated but then nodded. "Seeing as we don't have anything better to go on and how nobody else is doing anything – we might as well look. I mean, what could go wrong?"

"Depending on where they lead, quite a lot!" Ernie said. "What if they go into the forest? And once we're there, what do you think we're going to find?"

"Then that's where we'll go." Hannah said. "As for what we'll find – who knows? But something would be better than nothing."

"Alright then. We leave this evening." She stood. "I seem to have lost my appetite – but I'd like to see Cedric before class starts. Does anybody else want to go with me?"

"I'll come." Ernie stood immediately.

"I'd like to see him again," Hannah agreed.

The made their way up the winding stairwells, moving quickly so they wouldn't be late for class – though anybody short of Snape, they suspected, would excuse them if they knew where they'd been. Rounding a corner to head up one of the stairwells, however, Susan suddenly tripped and fell over.

"Ow! What did… OH!" She screamed as Hannah and Ernie stepped around and stopped short. Quickly, she clambered off of the pile of bodies she had fallen over, drawing her wand and looking down.

Hannah rushed up to the bodies and gently rolled them over. "It's Ginny, Luna and Millicent!" She looked up at Susan.

"Are they Petrified?" Susan asked, the wand in her hand quivering.

"I don't think so. We need to get a teacher, though," she said, turning to Ernie.

"Right. Be back as fast as I can."

He dashed off down the hall, leaving the girls to nervously guard the bodies.

"Where do you think they were going?" Susan wondered. "And what do you think happened?"

"Maybe to see Draco and Cedric? Or Harry?" Hannah pushed them. "I don't know what happened but… I'm getting really scared, Susan."

"I know." She nodded. "Me too."

"But… but I'm not going to back down, not like the last time," Hannah suddenly, fiercely murmured. "We are going to look for those spiders and figure out what's happening around here!"

Ernie came back moments later, panting, with Professor McGonagall following him. She bent over the girls, studied them for a moment, then pulled out her wand.

"_Rennervate_," she murmured to each in turn.

Groaning, the girls sat up one by one, rubbing their eyes and shaking their heads.

"What happening?" Ginny asked in a sleepy tone.

"You mean you don't know?" Hannah looked at her. "We found you three in a pile on the steps."

"There's something we were doing," Luna frowned, trying to concentrate.

"Were you going to visit Harry?" Susan suggested.

"That might have been it," the blond admitted. "I can't quite remember, though."

"Do you know who did this to you?" McGonagall asked them in an urgent voice. "Any idea at all?"

"I… I…" Ginny's eyes were wide and she seemed on the verge of saying something, and then shook her head dejectedly. "I don't recall."

"Come then," McGonagall straightened up. "We shall have to see the headmaster about this. Assuming he's still there. You three too," she said, motioning to the Hufflepuffs. "Since you came upon them."

"_Assuming_ he's still there?" Ginny turned to the trio of Badgers. "Why wouldn't he be?"

"You didn't hear?" Hannah asked and all three shook their heads no. "Draco got attacked last night. I went to visit this morning and Harry said his Dad was up at the castle in the middle of the night, storming and vowing that he would have Dumbledore's job for his carelessness."

"Do you think he means it? You think he can do anything about it?" Millicent looked doubtful.

"He is Lucius Malfoy," Luna said. "Which means he will do what he thinks he must although perhaps not what he should." A shadow of a smile crossed her face. "He always has been a bit self-deceiving."

"Something happened to us," Ginny changed the subject in an agitated fashion. "And I can't figure out what it was for anything!" She looked at the others helplessly. "Why can't I think of it?"

"Maybe you were _Obliviated_," Hannah said nervously. "I mean, that could do it."

"But _why_ though?" Ginny frowned. "That's what I want to know."

"I can't say," Hannah sighed. "Other than it's one more weird thing that's happened. And speaking of which – we're going chasing after spiders tonight. You lot want to come along?"

OOO

A few stories up, Theo walked into the infirmary, earning only a brief glance from Madame Pomfrey, and smiled at Harry.

"Brought you a cinnamon roll," he said. "Figured it might taste better than infirmary food."

"Thanks," Harry said, giving him a reluctant smile.

Theo looked over at the new bed with curtains drawn. "Who's in there? Was there another attack? And where's Dragon? I though he was staying with you while you convalesced."

"It's Cedric," Harry explained in a low voice. "And Dragon… Dragon went with Draco." Harry chewed then went on. "He got attacked last night, outside of the green house. His father came in past midnight and took him home. But… we need to _do_ something about this Nott. Before somebody dies, before something worse happens, we need to do something."

Nott paled.

"Indeed we do," he said, his hand quietly drifting over to his bag, feeling the outline of a book inside of it.

OOO

A/N: Yes, I'm back, having seen several settings (including parts of Wiltshire, Bath where Pansy lives, and various other locales in London) which will probably show up now and again. Settings – now with 10x more realism and accuracy! So more has happened and been revealed and more is to (quickly, hopefully) come.

Hope you enjoyed this latest installment and I promise more soon, with reviews and encouragement much appreciated, as ever. :)


	24. Worthy of Trust

OOO

Sirius settled in beside Narcissa, trying to get comfortable on the floor of the bedroom. He looked up at the woman whose red-rimmed gaze never shifted from her son and tentatively sat up on the bed, as if seeking her permission. She did not object, so he carefully padded onto the bed and lay next to Draco as he had when the boy was young and wanted the comfort of the dog's warmth. The petrified body was cold and Sirius licked Draco's hand, an attempt to give reassurance though he was not sure if the boy could sense it. Chill from his fingers nipped at Sirius' tongue, but he continued, not knowing what else he could do.

"Is that sanitary?" A voice came from the door and Sirius looked up to see Lucius standing there, not angry but staring doubtfully at the dog.

"He loves that dog," Narcissa whispered. "I will not deny my child what might comfort him."

Lucius nodded. "Have you looked outside?"

"No." She shook her head. "I have been here since we laid him down."

"There is a… perhaps you should see for yourself." He guided her to the window and she looked out. There on the lawn below Draco's window stood several thestrals and the Cerberus, standing in a semi-circle as if keeping vigil.

Narcissa made a strangled sound and put her hand up to her mouth. Then she looked up at Lucius.

"Is he dead? Will he die?"

"Not yet and not if I have anything to say about it. I need to leave now, darling, to track down mature mandrakes. There are a few suppliers on the continent as well as some further east – I can go to Asia if necessary, though that will take longer since the Floo network does not extend quite that far and I will have to fly."

"Do be careful," she murmured.

"Of course." He kissed her. "And watch over Draco attentively. We do not know that he was not attacked for a specific reason. After all, Draco was receiving the blame – if he was not the attacker than whoever is committing the attacks must have had a purpose in going after Draco and thereby destroying a perfectly good suspect and distraction."

"I will keep my wand with me at all times," she agreed. "And be as vigilant as I can. Dragon will not leave the room either and I'm sure he would do his best to defend Draco or rouse me if I nod."

"Good." Another kiss and he made for his study. "As I said – continent first, where I can still use the Floo and then after that… well, let's hope there will be no 'after that.'"

He vanished in a puff of green fire while Narcissa went back to Draco's bedroom and sat down again in her chair. After a few moments, she straightened up and looked at the doorway.

"Dobby!"

There was a pop and the house elf appeared in the frame.

"Yes, Mistress?" He nervously wrung his hands, looking at her with a watery stare. She made no remark but rather suspected he had been crying in between doing his duties.

"Dobby, come here." She motioned him to her side and he complied. "What is your attachment to my son?" Narcissa continued to gaze at Draco rather than Dobby, even as she addressed her elf.

"Dobby is loyal to all members…"

"Dobby!" She cut him off with a shrill cry and turned her full attention towards him. "That is not what I am asking. I know you are a house elf; you are magically bound to be loyal to the members of this household. That is not the information I need to know. What I am inquiring about is how far does your affection extend _beyond_ that boundary?"

Dobby looked at her nervously, as if suspicious that it might be a trick.

"Answer me!" She demanded.

"Dobby… Dobby cares a great deal for young master." He looked down at the carpet as if bracing himself to be hit for an inappropriate admiration.

"And you would care even if you were not bound to him?"

"Yes," he whispered, sure he was about to be beaten for thinking about a time when he might not be bound.

However, Narcissa only nodded and reached into her pocket, withdrawing a pair of silk kid gloves. "Dobby, listen to me. Because you are bound to us, whatever we ask of you, you cannot disobey – even should you wish it, even should we _secretly_ wish it. There may come a time when we are forced to give you orders and, as of this moment, you could make no decision about whether or not to follow through with them.

"It is important to maintain the illusion of obedience. But for Draco's sake – there may come a time when you would need to act upon your affection for him, not on the letter of the orders we give you. You would need to be free to disobey us, for the good of my son." She looked at him. "Would you willingly serve us for his sake, in order that you might better offer protection if he needs it when the time comes?"

Dobby regarded the socks and trembled slightly. "Is mistress… is mistress offering to free me?"

"Would you promise to aid me in guarding my son?" She realized that once she gave him the gloves, any such promises would hold no sway – not unless she made him take an Unbreakable Vow, an unwise decision she thought given the vague nature of her orders. After all, if Draco was to have protection she could not have it die unnecessarily. Furthermore, though the house elf was unusual in that he wanted freedom, he was also loyal and, as far as she tell, without guile and genuine in his emotion towards Draco.

He was trustworthy. Perhaps she could not use him as she used the other house elves – but at least as far as Draco was concerned, he would do as he was needed to do, with or without magic binding him.

"Yes, mistress." His head bobbed up and down. "Dobby will continue to pretend, Dobby will do what he must to protect the young master."

"I am trusting you," she whispered, loath to put her faith in a creature but seeing the pragmatic function of doing so, of relying on a different magic that extended beyond her own and could do what she could not.

"Dobby will do his best."

She held out the gloves and Dobby's long fingers reached to grasp them. The tips of his fingers touched the fabric and he let out a small gasp, clutching the gloves to his chest. His eyes watered and he fell down.

"T-thank you!" He sobbed.

"Don't make a scene," she muttered, though without any vehemence.

"Dobby will get mistress tea. Mistress must be tired, the night is long…"

He popped away and back again a second later, doting on her as the evening drew on. Minutes ticked by but neither Sirius nor Narcissa stirred much. Dobby brought them both food and drink at various intervals but beyond that, their attention was wholly consumed by the boy on the bed. Sirius nuzzled him, as if he could rouse Draco with a damp nose and a lick on the cheek, but he remained ever still.

Then, considering Narcissa and all she'd done that evening, he left Draco's bed and went to her lap. She did not push him off, though his hair was covering her dress, and did not flinch even as he sat up and licked away her tears. Rather, she stroked his fur and offered him food from her own plate.

"My son, my son…" She murmured. "Who could have done this to you?"

It was a question Sirius himself wanted the answer to, a question he ran over and over again in his mind during the long and silent hours, trying to think of the scent he'd caught before being stilled and to whom it might belong.

OOO

"You could leave you know," Madame Pomfrey looked over at Harry with a severe eye, as if implying that she needed the beds for more worthy occupants than him.

Given the rather alarming rate of people falling prey to whatever was in the Chamber, he wondered if that might not be true.

"We can clear out, right?" He said with a look at Theo.

"Sure." Theo nodded. "I should get to class anyway. Are you feeling up for it?"

"I suppose." Harry got out of bed. "My arm is still a bit stiff and I need fresh robes and all that so I might miss a bit of the first class. But I should try at least."

As the two boys left the infirmary with an armful of get-well gifts for Harry, they made their way through an unusually silent and huddled crowd of students. First years moved in packs and everybody kept glancing around, as if expecting an attack to come at any moment. Harry noticed a few of them wearing amulets or charms on their robes, as if to ward off any wandering monsters.

"Things really took a turn, didn't they?"

"After Draco got attacked? Yes." Theo nodded. "Everybody's a bit scared."

Makes sense. Most people had suspected him but now that he's gone it could be anybody really," Harry observed.

"Unless, of course, he fell prey to his own machinations," Theo suggested in a tone that was only partially sarcastic. Harry glared at him and he shrugged. "I'm only saying…"

"I know, I know. Draco likes to play with monsters and maybe he got in over his head or something." Harry sounded cross. "I don't believe that for one moment."

"Why's that?"

"Because Draco wouldn't deliberately attack people and he's too good to have an accident like that."

"Perhaps."

"Harry! Nott!" The two boys were suddenly gripped by Susan Bones, making her way down the steps with another group. "Are you alright? We were going up to see you but we ran into Ginny and Millicent and Luna – they got attacked, Harry!"

"Attacked?" He started. "By whom?"

"We can't remember," said Millicent as the rest of the group caught up. "Only that we were found at the foot of the steps."

"Dumbledore thinks we were Obliviated," Ginny said. "So we can't remember who did it or why."

"Or why they would have only Obliviated when everybody else is getting Petrified," Hannah added.

"That settles it – like I told Theo, we need to do something about this soon."

"But we are!" Susan grinned. "Tell him, Hannah."

The girl blushed and played with a pigtail before clearing her throat. "Well, the night of the first attack – the night Hermione was petrified, remember – Draco was distracted by a series of spiders running away from the castle. I can't say I'm particularly keen on them, but if they were behaving weirdly it might be connected with the attack."

"So what's the plan?" Harry asked.

"We're going to follow them, see where they're headed. It might give us a clue." Hannah blushed deeper and shrugged. "I mean, I know it isn't very good, not a lot to go on. But it's the only idea anybody's come up with. At least it's a place to start to try and find whatever's causing these attacks before somebody dies."

"When are you going?"

"Tonight," said Susan. "We'll meet outside of the Hufflepuff common room and start from there."

Harry nodded. "Well you can count me in. I would offer you my cloak, but…"

"Still lost?" Ginny asked and he nodded regretfully. "Are you coming too?" She asked Nott.

""Sorry," he said with an apologetic smile. "I think I'll pass."

"You can't have gotten another detention," Ginny said somewhat crossly.

"No, but I have been neglecting my homework to a dreadful degree."

"And that's more important than helping out Draco?!" She demanded. "Don't be Hermione!" She snapped.

At this he flushed and then stormed off, leaving an awkward silence in his wake.

"You know how serious he takes his studies, Ginny," Harry said somewhat reproachfully.

"Too seriously, if you ask me," she muttered. "Anyway. You'll be there?"

"I suppose. I'd better get dressed though – classes will be starting soon and I haven't even gotten washed."

"Alright. See you later." She waved as he went down the hall. "I can't believe Theo would brush us off like that!" She fumed.

"It's odd…" Luna's brow furrowed, as if she were on the edge of a memory.

"Maybe we're better without him," Millicent suggested. "I mean, you can't go sneaking around with too large a group. And this way we're at seven – most potent magical number, right?"

"I guess," Ginny said though her expression didn't change.

"Well, Theo or not, we're doing this tonight," said Hannah urgently. "We'll see you later."

The group split up, each to their own classes, lapsing into the same silence that had gripped the rest of the school, though musing on their escapade that evening rather than fear of impending attack.

OOO

The seven children tiptoed quietly through the dark November night. Tension grew with the silence until, though she had been the one warning everybody to keep quiet, Susan broke the stillness.

"Even Hagrid's hut looks empty, doesn't it?" She murmured.

"It is," Ernie whispered back.

"What?" Harry said, keeping his voice low. "Why?"

"Heard it this afternoon. Malfoy's father… all that ruckus he raised about Dumbledore's incompetence and it being 'the last time all over again.' Hagrid was blamed for the last attack and I guess the governors though it best that he take a 'leave of absence' until everything gets sorted out."

"That's terrible!" Hannah gasped. "He would _never_…"

"Well then, we have to prove it, don't we?" Harry said softly, but coldly. "That's what we're doing here."

"They're headed this way," Ginny pointed, keeping her eye on the largest spiders and where they were going.

"Into the forest," Ernie whispered dryly.

"Budge up." Millicent punched him in the shoulder. "Don't chicken out on us."

"I know!" He sucked in a breath, shivering a bit. "It's just… the forest. I mean, remember what happened to Draco in there the last time he went for detention? And that was with other people including Hagrid!"

"If it's any comfort, I doubt that Voldemort is in there," Harry said with a touch of condescension.

"Well excuse me if we aren't all Gryffindors!" Ernie snapped. "And don't say that name!"

"Quit bickering!" Susan cut in. "And wands out. We're going to have to risk lighting them so we don't trip over anything."

"Won't that let animals know where we are?" Ernie spoke up doubtfully.

"Most creatures dark enough to hurt us are more afraid of light than attracted by it," Luna pointed out. "And many animals do not distinguish light but rather movement."

"We'll be fine. Just keep going!" Hannah pressed forward next to Ginny and Susan.

"I don't know about this… What was that!" Ernie jumped up at the sound of a whine.

The group spun around to see Fang, Hagrid's hound, straining at a chain that kept him penned in the yard. He was pulling and pawing, as if trying to escape and head towards them.

"Fang can come too," Milli said decisively, walking over and freeing the dog. "Will you feel better about that?"

"Marginally," Ernie muttered as they stepped through the trees.

"More spiders are coming," Luna observed.

"That's good then," said Ginny. "We know we're on the right track."

The group fell into silence after that, wandering deeper and deeper and seeing larger and larger spiders as they went onward. The lot of them shuddered at the size of a few they saw though they went untouched until they were quite near the end. Set upon by large specimens the size of horses, they were dragged in front of an even larger spider whose milk-white eyes stared at them blindly.

"Aragog, there are men," the one spoke up, causing all but the Ravenclaws to stare in surprise. "What should we do with them?"

Slowly, deliberately, Aragog descended from his web. One lengthy leg reached out to touch Harry, who recoiled. The other touched Luna's face but she did not flinch.

"You are not the monster of the Chamber, are you?" She murmured.

"No!" He growled and pincers clicked all around. The students huddled together, looking nervous at the spiders that surrounded them. "We are enemy to that beast! We do not so much as _name_ it!"

"So you can tell us what it is then?" Ernie warbled in a nervous voice.

"I did not even tell Hagrid – and he was the one who found me, raised me, gave me a mate and brought me to this place to live. If I did not tell him…"

"But Hagrid's in trouble!" Ginny spoke up. "We need to know what it is so we can clear him!"

"Hagrid in trouble?" The spider paused.

"Yes!" Ginny pressed on. "They're blaming him. And… and a friend of ours."

"Draco Malfoy," Luna added.

The spider froze and all was silent for several moments. Then, shifting to face Luna, he spoke again.

"We care not for the prophecies of men. What they foretell concerns only themselves. Men can keep the death of July; however we shall take the rising of June." Suddenly, there came a rustling and all of the spiders seemed to turn at once. _"It is here!"_ Aragog shrieked.

"RUN!" Harry commanded, fear of the spiders forgotten as they were distracted, swarming around Aragog to protect him. Fang's loud barks punctuated the panic as they ran.

"I thought… thought it was in the castle…" Susan panted.

"Nothing to say it had to stay in there – keep moving!" Ginny yelled at Ernie who seemed to slacken.

"Split up!" Harry yelled. "Pair off and run different directions, whatever it is can't follow all of us at once!"

There were horrible crashing sounds behind them and they wondered if whatever it was had engaged with the spiders. Harry veered off to the left and saw Ernie and Millicent dashing with Fang in a different direction. Hannah and Susan were coming up behind him and he turned briefly, sticking his arms out to keep braches away from his face.

"Where are Ginny and Luna?" He demanded.

"I don't know!" Hannah's face was red and sweaty. "They went off somewhere and I saw them running then I think something happened to Luna, I thought I saw her stumble…"

"We're almost to the edge of the trees, come on, come on…" Susan encouraged.

"Don't look back!" A high voice carried over the air.

"Was that Luna?" Harry's head snapped to the left.

"I think so," Hannah managed to nod. "I think I'm going to pass out!"

"Go, go!" Susan closed her hand around Hannah's wrist. "I'll drag you if I have to!"

They hit grass moments later, heading for the castle as quickly as they could, Fang falling off and heading for his dog house. Millicent reached the entrance first and tugged the doors open, pulling them inside before letting it shut. They clambered down the hallway, into the Hufflepuff dorm where they all slumped into the deserted chairs. For the first time, Harry looked around – and his heart sank.

"Luna and Ginny aren't here!" He rounded on Millicent. "Did you close the door on them?" He demanded.

She shook her head. "Nobody else was coming, there was nothing but field all around!"

"I'm going back," he declared.

"You can't!" Millicent grabbed his arm. "Harry, you can't, you'll get killed!"

"_They'll_ get killed!" He retorted, heated.

Millicent released him, saying nothing, while the Hufflepuffs looked at him uncomfortably, unspoken realization hovering.

"Harry…" Hannah whispered, pale and shaking. "Oh, this was a bad idea, I'm so sorry, we shouldn't have gone and done this…"

"We need to check," he whispered, dryly. "We need to check."

Gathering themselves, they went back out into the night. By then midnight had passed and the darkness was, ever so slightly, beginning to break. Vast swaths of grass had been flattened down by something and they followed the path as best they could. When they finally found Ginny and Luna it was by the Lake, prone upon the mud at the water's edge.

"Go," Millicent whispered. "Get back to your dorms."

"What?" Susan looked at her. "Milli, what do you think…"

"No sense in all of us getting into trouble, is there?" She stood. "Might as well be the Slytherin. You lot…" She swallowed. "You need to figure the rest of this out, alright? And you can't do that if you're in detention and you really can't do it if you're expelled.

"Are you sure…" Hannah began but stopped when Millicent pulled a wand on her.

"I'll hex you if you don't get moving right now," she said.

After a motionless moment, Harry nodded and led them all back inside. He returned to the tower, the Hufflepuffs went back to their own room and, slowly, Millicent began the long walk up to the Headmaster's office, preparing the story she would give them along the way.

OOO

A/N: Getting closer to the final confrontation now. Not quite, but closer, closer. Probably in the next couple chapters – but you'll have to keep reading to see what happens! Also, messing a bit with the time line: the Quidditch game should have been a Saturday and the day after a Sunday, but I treated the day after like a school day. So... we'll pretend the game was Sunday. Or something. Oops.


	25. Reaching Out

OOO

_Those damn spiders._ Theodore Nott's teeth ground together as his body lay in the darkness. The spiders had been more troublesome than anticipated. A good number of them had been killed, of course, but not the leader or his mate – and not before they had been able to attack and pierce the basilisk. The snake was stronger than that, of course, but it would take a while for it to heal. It would likely be weeks before the beast was fit enough to hunt again.

Topping that was the frustration from the girls getting away, at least in a manner of speaking. The blond had frustrated him, but at least she and her little friend had been petrified. She, along with the Malfoy boy, had been another danger, a person capable of recognizing what he was doing before his plans came to fruition. Of course, it was a loss to have the primary suspect, and a good diverter of attention, taken away. But there were ways to compensate for that.

The bed next to him rustled. Potter was back. He heard his own curtains being drawn aside and felt the boy's hands on his shoulder, shaking him.

"Theo," he whispered. "Theo, get up. I've got some bad news."

Yawning, he made a show of rubbing his eyes. "What's the matter? How did it go?"

"Badly." Harry swallowed. "Theo… Ginny and Luna are… Ginny and Luna got petrified."

"What?" He tried to sound affected.

"We found a bunch of spiders in the woods who told us that the beast was their enemy, but we didn't get to learn much before being attacked by the monster itself. Everybody ran but I think Luna stumbled and fell behind. She and Ginny didn't make it back to the castle with us. We went back out to look for them and found them by the Lake, frozen like all the others." Harry's voice sounded like he was verging on tears as he described what had happened.

"Well what did you do?" Theo's body sat up. "Did you tell Dumbledore?"

"We weren't supposed to be out. So Millicent agreed to take the heat for all of us. Make up some story about going after the beast with Ginny and Luna on their own after getting attacked earlier today. She figured it would be better for only one of us to get detention so that the others can keep working on it."

"I see." Theo nodded. "But you're alright?"

"As much as I can be." Harry took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "It's really weird because my scar hasn't been acting up at all. But it's like… It feels like something Voldemort would do."

"What?" He feigned laughter.

"The whole Heir of Slytherin business – I mean, if there was ever a Slytherin alive who would want to clean out all the Muggle-borns, it's him, isn't it? And it feels like…" Harry gulped. "It feels like he's picking off my friends, one by one. Like he's trying to make me hurt."

"Harry, don't be ridiculous." He yawned. "Voldemort was nothing but vapor when you last left him."

"Well maybe that's how he's sneaking around!" Harry retorted with vehemence. "I mean, it could be, couldn't it?"

"_Possible_, I guess. But you don't think Dumbledore would notice Voldemort wandering around the school setting some manner of creature loose?"

"Didn't notice about Peter, did he?" Harry replied coldly. "Or Quirrell. At least not so much that he did anything about it. Maybe he's not so observant or maybe… I don't know."

"What? You think he's doing that on purpose? Letting Voldemort get close? Harry, why would he do that?"

"I dunno. Test, maybe? There are just things that don't make sense, especially if Dumbledore is as talented as people say." He shrugged. "Anyway, what I wanted to tell you was… be careful Theo. It started at random but Draco, now Ginny and Luna… it's hitting all the people I'm closest to. I'm worried you'll be next. So watch your back, alright?"

"I'll be more cautious with a full night of sleep," he replied with a wry smile. "But I will watch out." He paused. "And Ginny and Luna… you're sure they'll be okay?" He allowed concern to creep into his voice again.

"As okay as anybody, I suppose," Harry responded, crawling into his own four-poster. "They're not dead, I don't think. But beyond that, we'll have to wait for Sprout and her potion."

"Indeed," came the whisper as the curtains were once more pulled shut.

OOO

"Well done Millicent!" Pansy clapped from further down the table at breakfast the next morning. "Knocking off a couple of swotty little Ravenclaws like you did. You've finally done something to make your House proud. Not that I think you're the heir – half-blood and all that – but we can all do our part, can't we?" She crowed.

A table away, George saw Millicent's jaw clench and touch his brother's elbow, pointing. The girl stood and for a moment it looked as if she would simply walk away. But then she spun around, stalked over to Pansy, grabbed her by the hair and shoved her face-down into her own bowl of porridge. Then she turned and landed a roundhouse on Ron who made to attack her, only to be jumped by Crabbed and Goyle, the sounds of Pansy's wails filling the background.

George jumped over the table, spilling a carafe of orange juice in the process, and grabbed Goyle by his collar as a full-fledged fight broke loose. Grunts and screams filled the air but, despite their assistance, the Weasleys didn't get to actually talk to Millicent until they were all on their way back from Dumbledore's office.

"Milli, you're going to be spending half the semester in detention," George pointed out.

"Never bothered you," she replied stonily. "Besides, I already had three weeks worth. What's another couple of weeks to add to the pile?"

"You really can't let Pansy get to you." He looked at her. "Milli, we've all been hearing a lot of rumors…"

"Well maybe they're just that," she sniffed.

"You could tell us, you know," he pointed out. "I mean, it was our little sister hurt in that attack. Mum's going out of her mind fretting. Don't we deserve to know what really happened?"

"Yeah," Fred chimed in. "I mean, not that I don't believe you lot had enough nerve in you to go after the creature yourself. But is that really what happened?" He quirked an eyebrow. "The whole story?"

She scoffed. "What does it matter?"

"It matters because if you guys are up to something, maybe we could help."

"Help." She snorted and shook her head. "No way. Look where Ginny and Luna got when we tried to help. I mean, not that I don't think you guys would be useful or anything…"

"So who else was with you?" George interrupted. "I'm assuming Harry was. I'm sure he doesn't want to let this business with Draco slide unnoticed. Anybody else?"

For a moment she was silent, but then shrugged, relenting. "A few Hufflepuffs. Susan, Ernie, Hannah… you know. Draco's friends."

"Hufflepuffs?" Fred laughed. "You're okay with them coming along but not Gryffindors? Come on, Milli!"

"They were the ones who came up with the plan to begin with. We got pulled in and then Harry of course… And at first it's almost fun, you know? Like a game, sneaking out, making sure not to get caught, acting like we were going to solve some great mystery. But now Ginny and Luna are Petrified like all the others and the only reason I took the rap is because… well, Harry and the rest have already gone down that path, haven't they? And somebody has to do something, not like the school is doing anything…" She sighed in frustration.

"Nothing but kick out Hagrid," Fred pointed out bitterly.

"That's what I mean." She shook her head. "The stuff we saw in those woods will probably give me nightmares for weeks. And I'm sure that's not even half of what's coming."

"Can't hurt to have more help, though, can it?" George suggested.

"It does if that help gets hurt." Millicent bit her lip. "But you're right too. You should probably talk to Harry if you want to know more. If you do get involved, though – be careful. You promise?"

"When are we not?" George laughed.

"Good. Because I'll punch your Petrified faces in if anything happens to you chasing after that… that whatever it is."

"Maybe we can placate it by feeding Ron to it," Fred suggested – and despite everything, Millicent smiled.

OOO

Narcissa stirred from beneath the blanket that Dobby had draped over her the moment she heard her husband come home. Giving her son's forehead a quick kiss, she went out into the hallway to greet Lucius.

"Did you find anything?" She asked immediately upon seeing him, though the look on his face made her heart plummet.

"No, love," he murmured. "I am sorry. The mandrakes that are being grown are nowhere close to being mature. It's a rare plant irregardless and winter is not the season for their harvesting, traditionally…"

"Well what are you going to do?" Her voice rose.

"I will go further east, as I promised. I came home only to rest and make preparations for the trip."

"How long do you think this will take?"

"I cannot say, no more than I could when I left the first time." His voice sounded weary and strained. "How is he? I assume there is no movement, no change in his condition?"

"None at all," she whispered.

"And what of Hogwarts? Have you heard anymore news from there?" He shed his cloak and slumped by the fire, snapping his fingers for Dobby to bring him tea. "Have any other attacks occurred?" Dobby dutifully handed him a steaming cup which he sipped.

"One attack with two more gone." She looked at him uncertainly. "The Weasley and Lovegood girls."

Lucius' face darkened. "I do not like this, Narcissa. It does not feel random."

"What I don't understand is how it is happening at all!" She paced. "He was the only one who ever claimed to be the Heir – how could there be another? Who could claim the same right?" Lucius looked down into his tea. "Lucius?" She strode over to him. "Is there something you know that you aren't telling me?"

He set the tea aside with a clatter. "I need to check on something my love. I will return in a moment."

He ran out into the hall, but Narcissa followed on his heels. "Tell me Lucius!" She pleaded. "If this is about our son, I deserve to know! Did he find something of ours? Did he get into something?" She stopped when she reached the study and found him kneeling over a compartment in the floor. "Is it my fault?"

"Damn!" He pounded the floor next to him. "But how could he have…" He stood up, his crow furrowed and furious. "Narcissa? You have Draco's things from school, correct?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Look through them. See if you can find a small black book. If you do, take it and sequester it. Do not touch it more than necessary and I will deal with it when I return."

"Alright. You will leave tomorrow, then?"

"Yes. As soon as I can." He looked over, standing up and still frowning. "And do we have any dreamless sleep potion on hand? I should like to take some, I think."

"Of course, darling," she murmured, backing out of the room, though frustrated at not knowing anything more, and leaving Lucius to his own troubled thoughts.

OOO

_So tell me little Dragon – did you find the hound or did the hound find you?_

The voice echoed in the darkness, in the ears of one who was not sure if he slept or woke.

OOO

After the girls had been attacked, Harry kept waiting nervously for the other shoe to fall and for Theo or the Weasleys or Hannah or Susan or himself to get ambushed. But days passed and then weeks without any sign of an attack. The fresh wave of frenzy that had come over the school after the girls had been attacked gradually subsided. Nobody forgot that there was a supposed beast meandering the hallways, but the worst of the panic faded and people began to more about their business more normally.

It still unsettled Harry, however, and he said as much to Nott while they were working in Potions one day.

"It feels like I'm waiting for something," he told his friend. "Like this is the calm before the storm or whatever."

"But you still haven't come any closer to figuring out what it might be?"

"Not really." Harry shrugged. "There's not a lot of info out there on Acromantulas; I mean, it took me forever to even figure out that was the name for those creepy oversized spiders. And I'm supposed to be studying in between all of this!" He sighed. "Maybe I should take a lesson from you and get my homework done before worrying about anything else."

"Pity that Hagrid's not here," Theo murmured. "You could have asked him; he would probably know."

"Hagrid or Draco or Luna or even Hermione… it's like everybody who could help is being taken out of the picture!"

"Shhh!" Theo hushed him. "Snape!"

The boys bent their heads over the cauldron, each refusing to look up at the Potions Master as he passed and ignoring the snide remarks he made on his way towards the next table.

"You could ask other people, perhaps," Theo suggested.

"And have to explain to them how I encountered an Acromantula? No way. I could count on Hagrid to keep mum but anybody else – even Dumbledore – would probably end up giving me detention."

"Then I suppose you will have to figure it out on your own."

"If I live that long." Harry sighed and peered down into the cauldron of Swelling Solution. "It's too thin, isn't it?" He grumbled.

"Were it anybody but Snape, it would probably be adequate. Being as it is Snape…" He shrugged. "It isn't as though anything we'll ever do will impress him."

"I know, I know," Harry sighed as he filled a flask. "So are you staying for the holidays?"

"I have to, don't I?" Theo stuffed books into his sack. "Not as though I can go home. And I very much doubt that either the Malfoys or the Weasleys will be up to having company over, not with matters as they stand."

Harry nodded. "I wish I could see Draco. I mean, I know they probably can't hear me or anything, but it's still a bit reassuring to go up there and check on Ginny and Cedric and the rest. It would be nice to see Draco too." He left the carefully labeled flask on the desk with the others. "In fact, maybe I'll send an owl to Mrs. Malfoy. I mean, what's the worst that could happen?"

"Indeed."

OOO

Harry was in the midst of reading Narcissa Malfoy's reply, assuring him that Draco was fine and that Lucius was attempting to gather materials for the cure, when he practically walked into a large crowd of people in the entrance. They all seemed to be gathered around a piece of paper and he strained to read the words.

"What's this all about?" He turned and asked Ernie who was close at hand, flanked by Susan and Hannah.

"I think I heard something about a dueling club."

"It is!" Dean Thomas confirmed with a grin. "They're starting it tonight!"

"Does it say who's teaching it?" Harry asked, still unable to see the posting.

"Not exactly; but I'm sure they've got somebody good, right?" Dean grinned.

"You know, I heard Flitwick used to duel," Susan mentioned conversationally. "Maybe they got him to do it."

"Maybe. But if he was so keen on it, why start now? He's been here ages, hasn't he?" Harry pointed out.

"Well self-defense is a little more important now, isn't it?" Hannah said tersely; she hadn't been quite herself after they'd ventured into the forest.

"Yeah, I guess," Harry admitted. "Say, guys? I got a letter from Draco's mum." He held out the parchment. "I wrote to ask how he was and all that. You can read it if you like."

Without warning, Hannah suddenly burst into tears and ran off down the hallway. Ernie shot Harry a look before following in hot pursuit.

"Sorry," Susan whispered, taking the proffered letter. "She's been like that since…"

"I know," Harry murmured. "It's not her fault. Things just… it went wrong, that's all. Not her fault."

"I've told her that," Susan sighed as she scanned the contents of the letter. "I think she's been having nightmares."

Harry nodded. "And I doubt she's the only one. Have you seen the bags under Millicent's eyes? I wonder if she's been sleeping at all. She nearly fell into her cauldron during Potions the other day."

"And I know it sounds strange, but I think the worst of it is nothing happening," Susan whispered. "It feels like I'm waiting for an axe to fall."

"Agreed," Harry said with another nod. "So are you going to show up tonight?"

"I suppose." She shrugged. "Nothing better to do, really. I'm well ahead in all of my classes. And who knows? It might actually be useful." She handed him back the letter. "And thanks for that. I've been worried about him – though he might be in better shape than the rest if his father manages to get his hands on any mandrakes."

"It might be better for everybody. If Draco wakes up he should be able to tell us what kind of monster it is," Harry pointed out. "We might not know where the chamber is but if we ever have to look, it would help to know what we're up against."

OOO

The moment Narcissa sent off their owl, she wished she could call it back – not because she wanted to recall the letter, but rather because she thought it said too little. Her husband might not agree with her decision, she reflected. But what little she knew, she wondered if she ought not share, if it might not keep her son – and his friends, many of whom she had to admit she was somewhat fond of – safer once he awoke.

Not to mention there were questions she needed to ask herself.

The moment the owl returned, she resolved to send a second letter. In the meanwhile, she set out fresh flowers atop her son's nightstand and waited for Lucius to return.

OOO


	26. Offers and Threats

OOO

"I knew this was a bad idea!" Harry stormed off down the hallway, leaving the chattering group of students behind him. "Snape did that on purpose too! He probably knew somehow… argh!" He shook his head. "I should have left the moment I saw Lockhart. Nothing good ever happens when he's involved. And it's not like he could really teach us anything."

"Harry, slow down and calm down!" Susan ran after him, grabbing him by the sleeve of his robe. "Harry, we know you aren't opening the Chamber," she began.

"Oh yeah? Tell that to your friend Justin," Harry interrupted. "He's convinced I'm trying to kill him. I was telling the snake to get away and he thinks I was going for the jugular."

"Would you let me finish?" She said as Theo, Ernie and Hannah caught up. "Justin worries about everybody, jumps at every shadow lately. I mean, he was the one who found Zach in the bathroom if you recall. He's nervous – we all are. But as I was saying, while we know you haven't been opening the Chamber, why didn't you tell us you were a Parselmouth?"

"Yeah," Hannah added. "We wouldn't have thought any less of you," she assured him.

"Theo knew!" Harry pointed towards the slight boy. "He and Draco and Luna and Ginny found out over the summer when we went to a zoo and heard me talk to a snake. But they all agreed that I should keep it under wraps so that people didn't get the wrong idea about me. You know, the kind of wrong idea everybody is getting now."

"Well that's everybody," Susan pointed out. "But we're not everybody. We're your friends – at least I think we are. And you should tell your friends about things like this." They pulled up at the portrait of the Fat Lady. "It's like Draco and his… his dog secret. You should be able to trust us and rely on us. We're not going to go around spreading rumors to the whole Hogwarts population, you know that."

"I know, I know. But… well, the more people know about a secret the less secret it is." He fell into a chair. "I'm not saying you would do anything intentionally, but it could slip." He sighed. "Not like any of it matters now. Everybody found out anyway. So now what do I do?"

"Nothing you can do, really," Theo said with a sigh. "Nothing but wait it out. Let the rumors swirl – it's not as though you can be kicked out for being a Parselmouth and they don't have anything to suggest you were the one doing the attacks."

"So I can't get kicked out. But life's going to be miserable from now on." He grimaced. "I still can't believe that, of all things, Pansy would produce a snake. And since Snape talked to her right before we dueled… it had to be him. He knows and he told her. Somehow."

"Maybe he's the Heir," Theo suggested with a roll of his eyes.

"Well maybe!" Harry said defiantly. "He was in Slytherin, he's their head of house and he has grudges against us – especially me! And he's really sly so he could probably slip under the radar. Quirrell did and he was nowhere near as sneaky as Snape. In fact, this whole set up tonight was probably part of a plot to frame me and throw suspicion off himself!"

"I know you don't like Snape. I'm not crazy about him either. But I don't think he would attack students like that," Susan said. "And as much as he dislikes you, I can't really see him framing you. I don't think he's responsible anymore than I think Draco was or you are."

"Well somebody has to be opening that Chamber. And what better way to get away with it than to have everybody looking in another direction? It happened with Draco and now me…" Harry sighed. "Look, I'm getting to bed. This has been an awful day and the sooner it's over, the better, before I do something else incriminating."

Hannah nodded. "Alright. We'll let you get some rest."

"It's almost break anyway," Susan said. "I'll bet after Christmas everybody's attention will be on someone else entirely."

The Hufflepuffs headed to the door, but it swung open before they got there, revealing the Weasley twins and Lee Jordan.

"Is Harry okay?" George asked.

"We could cheer him up if need be," Fred offered.

"I think he needs some alone time," Susan told them. "It's been a bad day."

"Seems like every day has been since this mess started," Ernie mumbled as the exited the portrait hole and made for their own common room.

"Well it has to come to an end at some point," Susan said with forced optimism.

"The only question is _how_," Hannah added morosely. "And how many more of our friends will get hurt before it does?"

OOO

"Dobby!" Narcissa called for him as she bent over a trunk. "Dobby, come here and help me with this!"

Dobby appeared. "Yes, Mistress?"

"Help me clean out Draco's trunk." She pulled out a set of robes. "Here, get these out of the way, take them to the laundry – but check the pockets first!"

He nodded, deciding it would be best not to remind her that this would make the sixth time she had gone through the trunk, each without success. He took the robes and popped away, back a second later. "Anything else?"

"What is this?" She rummaged through pair of pants and held up a bag with green plants in it. "And where did he get it?"

Dobby fidgeted. "Gillyweed, Mistress. Young master says he is needing it for when he is swimming in the lake so Dobby is getting it for him from the master's greenhouse."

"Oh." Her face relaxed. "Wait – swimming in the lake?" She shook her head and sighed. "He's going to catch pneumonia one of these days." She reached further down in the trunk, pulling out dog treats, parchment, quills, candy, books, and then a device with a leather wallet of some sort. Narcissa opened it up and found it filled with donut-shaped discs.

"And what is this?" She held it up in front of Dobby who once again looked distinctly uncomfortable.

"Master Draco's CD player. And CDs." Narcissa's eyebrow arched and Dobby grew even more flustered. "He knows they do not work at Hogwarts but he says he likes to listen to them on the train back and wanted to keep them with him…"

"Alright, alright," she said, waving her hand for him to be silent, tossing the CDs aside and turning back to the trunk. "Nearly at the bottom and no sign of anything like Lucius described." She shook her head then looked at the house elf. "Dobby? Did you ever see Draco with a black book, probably blank – like a diary?"

Dobby shook his head vigorously. "No mistress. Dobby never saw Draco with such a book."

"Did you ever see any of his friends – particularly Harry – writing in a book of that description?"

"No, Mistress," Dobby said with an apologetic shake of his head. "Dobby is sorry but he has never seen anyone with a book like that."

Narcissa nodded again, then suddenly stood, took the trunk, dumped out the rest of the contents and threw it against the wall. "Damn!" She turned to Dobby, furious. "It's been weeks since Lucius left and still he has no luck! Items are missing, I cannot find anything in Draco's belongings to give us a hint, who knows how he'll react when he wakes and hears that more of his friends have been attacked – and still those who lead that wreck of a school stand idly by and refuse to take action!" Dobby cowered as she began to pace. "Have they researched the Chamber at all? Have they been doing anything besides raising mandrakes that will take months to mature? They're a bunch of incompetents up there who shouldn't be trusted with so much as a puffskein, let alone children!" By now she was red-faced and shaking. _"And those damn animals keep gathering under Draco's window, snorting and howling like the world's about to end and doing nothing for my nerves!"_ She yelled in a rage, blasting the trunk further with her wand.

Finally exhausted, she panted and buried her head in her hands. Carefully, looking nervous as he did, Dobby guided her back to Draco's room where she knelt at his bedside, holding his hand.

"We'll find something. We'll find something, I promise you…"

Suddenly, Dobby's ears perked and he popped away. "Mistress! Mistress!" He dashed back into the room and second later. "Mistreses, the Master has returned – and he brought a box with him!"

"Lucius?" She stood and gasped as he appeared at the door, snow-damp but grinning.

"I found one!" He murmured, setting the sound-proofed box carefully onto the floor. He ran up to his wife and embraced her fervently. "Draco will be awake as soon as it's brewed!" Then he lifted her off her feet and twirled her, making his robes and her dress swirl around them. Dragon started barking and jumped about in an elated fashion and Dobby ducked out of the room to have a private tearful but joyful moment.

"How long will it take?"

"Only a few hours as soon as I get the ingredients to Snape. I am sure they are all asleep by now but I will head up tomorrow at the earliest possible time, I assure you. We will have our Draco back before sundown."

Narcissa's eyes began to well and instead of saying anything she simply hugged her husband again. When then finally parted, however, she looked up at him uncertainly.

"Lucius?" She whispered.

"Yes my darling?" He beamed.

"Lucius, I sent a letter to Harry. And I told him how Draco was doing. I didn't say anything else, but I considered it… Lucius, if you head up to the school, perhaps you should speak to Harry and ask him if he's seen any such book."

Lucius' face darkened. "Dear, he cannot know about…"

"I realize that," she interrupted. "But there is no need to reveal to him the nature of the book. Only ask if he has happened upon one like it."

"You don't understand the gravity of this, Narcissa. That book absolutely cannot be traced back to us. If it was – it would be a disaster for us."

"I know you received it from the Dark Lord," she murmured. "But who would know besides those who will not speak?" She frowned. "Just what is this book anyway, Lucius? Does it hide an incantation for opening the Chamber within its pages? Is that why it is so dangerous, so evidently dark?"

"No, no." He shook his head. "Do not ask me."

"I have a right to know if it is putting my boy in danger!" She gestured towards Draco. "Lucius, I am your _wife_."

"And it is for your own sake that I say nothing!" He insisted. "There are some things…" He paled. "I am sorry. Perhaps… I do not wish to discuss this further."

"I will find out," she replied. "I will know." She stepped towards him. "Ask Harry – if it was in our house he is the one most likely to have encountered it."

Looking away from her, Lucius hesitated. "Perhaps after the holidays," he relented. "After Draco wakes but before he returns to Hogwarts."

She nodded, as if relieved to have reached a compromise. "Very well. I will hold you to that."

"I know you will." He nodded. "Now if I might…"

"I'm sure you must be tired," she said, taking his cloak. "There is more dreamless sleep potion waiting for you on our nightstand."

"Thank you darling." He kissed her again then left to rest.

OOO

"Quite a sight, isn't it?" George sat down next to Harry who was looking up at the sky. The ceiling was filled with flurries of white snow that looked like they would land at any moment.

"Yeah. Must be some blizzard outside."

"It's been going like that all night," Nott added from across the table. "There must be inches on the ground by now."

Looking down from the ceiling, Harry turned and waved to Hannah and Susan who'd just walked in. "Seen the snow?" He asked when they came over.

"We have." Hannah looked up. "I don't much like it. It feels… ominous. Like it's burying us."

Susan nodded. "Professor Sprout canceled our morning class, you know."

"Really?"

"Says that it's far too cold to be out at the greenhouses and she's got the mandrakes to take care of. I think she's putting scarves on them, of all things," Susan said with a thin smile.

""I guess that makes sense." He looked around. "Where's Ernie?"

"Still upstairs," Hannah fretted. "He's trying to convince Justin that it's safe to come down and eat breakfast. Not that we blame you!" She quickly added.

"Well don't tell him you saw me at breakfast." Harry stabbed a sausage with a fork. "If you bring him anything to eat he'll probably think that I've poisoned it."

"I'm sure he'll come down eventually," Susan assured him, though doubtfully.

"If you do see him, please try and tell him that I didn't mean anything by it. I only wanted the snake to get away from him!" Harry looked at the girls hopelessly. "I wouldn't hurt him."

"I'd say you could tell him yourself but that would probably only freak him out _more_," Susan replied as she grabbed a cup. "But we'll tell him when we go back."

"What are you going to do with the morning off?" Nott asked as he buttered toast.

"Probably pack," said Hannah, taking a plate of eggs that Fred passed her. "We leave Monday if you remember."

"You leave Monday," Harry said. "We don't."

"Or you could stay," George grinned. "Now that Harry's been whacking all the students, we'll have run of the castle," he teased.

"Percy will kill you if he hears you say that," Harry said with a twisted smirk.

"Well, we'll be glad he's not around then." Fred, who'd sat down next to Nott, shoved a scone into his mouth.

"Say, you think you might be willing to autograph some of those pictures Creevy's always snapping of you? I'm sure you supporters will be very glad to have them once you go full blown evil. Just ask Lockhart how important glamour shots are to your adoring public!" George kept it going.

Harry rolled his eyes again. "I think I'm going back to the Common Room. I've had enough of people shooting me looks and I should probably go over our transfiguration reading for later." He looked at the Hufflepuffs. "You can let Justin know that the area is safe and Harry-free."

"I should probably study as well," said Nott, standing.

As they stepped into the hallway, Harry caught sight of a familiar flash of silver hair turning the corner. Thinking it was Draco, he ran up, leaving Nott to fall behind. He looked for the silver hair only to realize the hair was much longer and the person it belonged to much taller than Draco.

"Mr. Malfoy?" Harry called out and the man turned around.

"Hello young Potter," he said with a somewhat stiff nod.

"What are you doing here?" Harry looked at the box. "What's that? And how's Draco?" He shuffled his feet. "I got a letter from Mrs. Malfoy yesterday; I've been meaning to write back."

Lucius' face creased into a smile. "Draco is stable. But we hope he will be well soon." He held up the box. "I managed to procure a mature mandrake from a grower in Asia and am bringing it to Snape to brew the cure. Draco will be awake in time for Christmas, a fact for which both I and his mother are very grateful. I'm taking it to the dungeon just now. I would invite you to join me, but I'm sure you have class."

"Actually, no." Harry tried to subtly flatten his hair. "We have Herbology this morning but it was canceled due to snow." He frowned. "Draco would have been in that class, if not… But he'll be better soon, right?"

"As soon as we can brew and administer the potion," Lucius replied as Harry fell into step beside him. "If you want to visit the manor over the winter break, you're more than welcome. Draco would probably be very glad to have the company."

"I was planning on staying here," said Harry. "But I'd like to see Draco if he's up to it. And it would be nice to get away from… well, never mind," he said, shaking his head.

"Is something wrong?" Lucius asked him as they descended a flight of steps. Just then a pair of Ravenclaw boys came up the steps and, seeing them, ran past as quickly as they could. "People seem to be… skittish around you."

"It's the whole Heir of Slytherin, Chamber of Secrets business," Harry whispered. "Everybody was blaming Draco but when he got Petrified… it's complicated, but they started blaming me."

"Blaming _you?_" Lucius frowned. "You are close to my son. And to… some of the others. Why would they blame you?"

"It only just started because… well, I…" He sighed, and looked at Lucius reluctantly. "It's…"

Lucius felt his heart drop as Harry hedged; where there was smoke there was usually fire and perhaps Narcissa was right to be worried that Harry was the one who'd gotten his hands on the diary.

"Why are the students nervous? What happened?" He looked at Harry. "Was there an incident?"

Harry sighed. "You'll probably hear about it anyway." He looked up at the older Malfoy. "There was a dueling club. And I faced off against Pansy Parkinson. Snape… he told her to conjure a snake. When it appeared, everybody got really scared and it went after one of the Hufflepuffs. I told it to back off, instinctively. I forgot that… it didn't come out that way. All the other students heard was me hissing." He shook his head. "I don't know why or how because I don't think I'm related to… I'm a Parselmouth," Harry murmured miserably. "Which is really dark, I know, and I'm sure Snape only did it to frame me because he hates me..." His anger from the previous evening returned and he forgot, momentarily, whom he was talking to.

"Hate you?" Lucius forced a scoff. "Why should he hate you? I've known Severus for years…"

"I don't know," Harry said irritably. "Something about my dad, which is stupid because I'm _not_ my dad…"

"I should hope not," Lucius murmured.

"…but he uses it anyway as a reason to dock points and he hates everybody who's not Slytherin…" Harry finally checked himself and blushed. "I'm sorry, sir. I know he's a friend of yours. And if he's helping Draco…"

Lucius shrugged. "Severus is prickly, there's no denying that. And we Slytherins do have a tendency to stick together." He looked at Harry. "But I will see if there's anything I can do."

"You don't have to do that," Harry insisted.

"For a friend of my son's, I will." They reached the door of the Potion's dungeon. "But if you wish to leave before meeting Snape…"

"I think so." Harry backed away. "But when Draco gets up tell him I said 'hi.'"

"I will." Lucius paused as Harry began to leave, and then called out to him again. "Harry?"

"Yes, sir?" Harry turned.

"Harry, you haven't…" He wrestled with asking Harry about the book, but found he could not, ultimately, bring himself to implicate guilt in his own knowledge and actions. "You haven't seen anything strange, though? Or _actually_ done anything have you?"

Harry thought back to the horrible night in the forest where they'd found the Acromantulas and opened his mouth, wondering what he should say if anything at all. Then, as if on cue, he heard a whisper – the same insidious whisper he'd heard the night Hermione had been attacked.

_Kill, kill… Kill and pierce and tear…_

"Harry, what is it?" Lucius frowned. "You've gone absolutely white."

"I just… Can't you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Lucius quirked his head.

"That voice… that voice, I… I…" Harry looked around. "You didn't hear it?" He asked a second time, weakly.

Lucius stood still for a moment. "Stay right there," he said in a commanding tone. "I will be out in a second."

He disappeared into the Potions classroom as Harry walked beside the walls, trying to determine where the voice had been coming from. Then there was a hand on his shoulder and he turned to see Lucius, without the mandrake-filled box.

"Now tell me," he began, "what did this voice you heard sound like?"

Before Harry could reply, however, the air was pierced by a scream. In unison, Harry ran with Lucius up the steps to the top of the steps, following the sounds. Leaping out into the hall, he saw Hannah leaning tearfully into a very pale Susan who was looking at a Petrified Ernie and Justin and a weirdly gray Nearly Headless Nick.

"We were just going up to get them…" Susan whispered as Hannah sobbed.

Then the other students began pouring in from all directions and the air was filled with the sounds of doors crashing. Everybody seemed to be running in all directions and more screams joined Hannah's. Dimly, Harry realized that Lucius' hand was on his shoulder and had become quite tight.

"I knew it!" Seamus pointed at Harry. "Trying to finish off Justin? Do what you couldn't do yesterday? He saw this coming; he knew you were going to do something like this!"

"No," Susan protested, "We were here first and Harry wasn't…."

"I mean, that's why he was hiding, wasn't it?" Seamus ignored her and went on. "He told you he was Muggle-born and you used that against him, first snakes and now…"

"_Shut your idiotic mouth!"_ Lucius screamed and created a blast with his wand that caused all of the chattering students, and even the teachers, to fall silent and stare. "The Potter boy was with me when the attack happened and the next person who insinuates _anything_ will be expelled – I will see to it _personally!_" Then he turned on McGonagall in a fury. "And since the headmaster seems to be woefully unable to put a stop to this nonsense, perhaps he should be gone too!"

She glared at him viciously as he turned on his heel and stormed out of the castle, leaving a dumbfounded Harry and tittering student body in his wake.

"What was that about?" Susan came up to Harry looking worried. "Why was he here?"

"Mr. Malfoy… he had a mandrake, Draco's going to be alright…" He looked over at the Petrified student. "What could do that to a ghost?" He wondered.

"I don't know." Susan swallowed. "I don't want to know." She looked at Hannah who was still sniffing. "Come on, Hannah. Come on."

"I'm sorry," she murmured. "It's only…" She wiped her hands with the hell of her palm and took a deep breath. "I'm fine. I'm fine."

"Then lets get out of here before more accusations start flying," Susan said, looking at Harry. "We'd better track down Theo. Hopefully the library will be pretty deserted."

"Do you think anything will happen to Professor Dumbledore?" Hannah asked in a quivering voice as they went up the stairs.

Harry sighed. "Lucius Malfoy rarely makes idle threats."

"Then we might be in even more trouble," said Susan with a grimace. "I'm really glad I'm not going to be here all alone…"

"Yeah. Glad." Harry's shoulders slumped.

Mr. Malfoy didn't make idle threats – but he didn't go back on his offers either. And maybe, Harry thought, it would be best if he took him up on it.

OOO

A/N: So matters get simultaneously better and worse – and an ending is coming very, very soon.


	27. Waking and Realization

OOO

"Is the potion ready?" Lucius stood at the entrance of the dungeon. "I have your payment as requested."

"I've brewed it." Snape looked up from the parchments he was grading and took a corked flask out of the cabinet behind him. "There's not much but it should be adequate to revive your son, perhaps even one or two more if used sparingly." He smiled sardonically. "But I take it that you are in no mood to be sharing it with the unfortunate souls upstairs?"

"My son comes first," Lucius told him icily, exchanging the flask for a handful of sickles which he tossed onto Snape's desk. "The others are the school's affair."

"Speaking of school affairs – what of Dumbledore?" Snape sat down again and leaned back in his chair. He looked at Lucius with a level gaze and his voice betrayed no emotion save mild interest. "I heard that you went on quite the rant this morning, vowing to have him removed."

"I have the order right here." Lucius slipped the flask into a pouch at his hip then retrieved a rolled up parchment, complete with an official seal. "He has been unable to put a stop to the Chamber opening – as a result, I saw fit to discharge him of his duties, even if only for the moment, as did the other governors."

"Really? The Chamber opening upset you that much?"

"It did when my son got hurt!" Lucius growled, clenching his walking stick.

"I wondered… things have gone a bit out of your control, haven't they?" Snape's voice barely verged on amusement. "You know, they've started pointing the finger at the Potter boy as well."

"I know. Which brings me to another point of business." He stepped closer to the desk. "I hear you've been harassing Harry Potter."

Any trace of amusement disappeared and a hint of a frown twisted his features. "How I treat my students, _any_ of my students, is none of your business Lucius." He sneered. "I wouldn't think you, of all people, would be standing up for an arrogant Gryffindor glory seeker. However much he whines, I merely point out his inadequacies and put him in his place."

"_Harry_ Potter is none of what you suggest," Lucius replied in an equally icy tone. "I believe, Severus, that you are confusing him with his father James. Harry, however, is a close friend of my son's and a frequent guest in my household. I care not for how you treat most of your students; but as one loyal to my child, he's of concern to me and I will not brook you treating him as though he were his parent."

"I wonder what certain people would think of this interest."

"I wonder that you think certain people will ever find out or know." Lucius looked down on him imperiously, but somewhat rattled. "Besides, surely you know the saying to keep friends close and enemies closer? Alienating one so potentially strong does nobody any good no matter what the course of events might hold."

Severus paused, as if he were unsure of what to make of Lucius. He looked at him at great length without changing his expression. "You do not tell me how to teach."

"This isn't teaching, what you're doing," Lucius snapped. "It's keeping a petty rivalry alive well beyond the point when it should have been dead and buried and it serves no useful purpose. More than that, it could be detrimental." He leaned over, bringing his face close to Snape's. "Grow up, Severus. And stop mistreating the boy."

He stalked out of the office to deliver the document removing Dumbledore and Snape watching him leave with dark, unblinking eyes.

"You've changed, Lucius," he murmured before going back to grading.

OOO

_Your blood is quite strong you know. Given the proper opportunities, your father would have been quite skilled with raptors. And your grandfather… he would have tended towards equines. You have strains of them in you, to be sure, but it is canines where you excel. And as for your mother's side… _

"I don't understand," Draco whispered. "Who are you, anyway?"

_When the time is right. But now it is time for you to wake up. _

Draco's eyelids fluttered open to the sight of his mother leaning over him. Relief burst like sunlight across her face and before he could even sit up she had lifted him off of the bed and embraced him.

"Draco!" He could feel her tears dampening his hair. "Draco, Draco, you're alright," She repeated over and over, as if she needed to hear it again to make herself truly believe it. "Are there any effects? Are you tired? You'll want food." She turned to the house elf who was waiting dutifully by the bedside. "Dobby, go and fetch him something from the kitchens, whatever he likes. Make it if you must but be quick." Then she turned back to her son and hugged him tightly once more. "Thank heavens you're alright!"

Once she loosened her hold, Dragon nudged his way in, happily licking Draco's face until both he and Narcissa gave way to allow Draco to eat the food Dobby had made for him. She wondered what it was he was eating – it looked like a sandwich except the bread was far too flat and folded in a crescent brimming with cheese – but she didn't ask or object. Even if it was probably Muggle.

"Was it a difficult ordeal?" She asked him in a soft, sympathetic voice.

He shrugged and took another bite, picking up a piece of ground beef that fell out with his finger. "It was a bit like sleeping, really… I had some weird dreams, though." Then he looked up. "Mum! What about Cedric? He was next to me, was he alright?"

"I believe he was Petrified too, love."

"Did he wake up also?"

"Dear…"

"What's wrong?" Draco set aside his empty plate which Dobby immediately took. "We need to know – can we send an owl to his home right away? Or I could go over! I'm feeling well – really I am!"

"Cedric is at the school," Narcissa told him guardedly.

"Well then we'll send an owl there… has it been very long? We haven't missed much, have we?"

"Draco, I don't believe Cedric is awake."

"What?" He paled. "Why not? Did something go wrong, can't he take the potion – didn't it work on him?"

"No, no," she said, taking his hand to still the panic. "The ingredients aren't ready for his potion yet."

"But I…"

"Your father procured mandrakes for you. The rest of the children at the school are waiting for the ones in Professor Sprout's greenhouse to mature."

"Oh." He frowned. "How long will it be until they're better? Soon, right?"

Narcissa bit her lip. "I believe it will be quite a while. The mandrakes take some time to mature and you haven't been out very long." She went over to the window and threw wide the curtains. "As you can see, it's winter," she said, looking down at the swirling white.

For a minute, the swirls seemed to take shape…

"Well why doesn't Hogwarts get mandrakes like Dad did? Ones that are already mature so they don't have to wait around!"

"That's something you would have to discuss with those in charge at Hogwarts," she said, turning away from the window and back to him. "In fact, your father was up at the school this very afternoon to... well, to discuss some of the administrative inadequacies at the school."

"What does that mean?" He looked at her nervously.

"Draco," she said, sitting down on the bed, "I know this will be hard to you for hear. And I don't want to burden you too much since you only just recovered from what had to be a dreadful ordeal. But you weren't the only one Draco. There were several after you."

He swallowed. "Who else?" He whispered.

"The Weasley and the Lovegood girls," she told him. "And then this morning the Macmillan boy and some other mud… some other Hufflepuff he was with." She petted his hair fondly. "To think they were blaming your friend Harry too, at least until your father stepped in."

"Blaming Harry?"

"I'm afraid so." She looked at him. "Did you know Harry was a Parselmouth?"

Draco blushed. "Maybe."

"Well, the school found out when he spoke to a snake that Pansy Parkinson conjured at a dueling club. I'm afraid that everybody is panicking and casting about looking for a person to blame. Meanwhile those in charge do nothing to find out that's truly at fault," she muttered darkly.

"I'm sure Professor Dumbledore is trying…"

"Dumbledore is _gone_," she interrupted, standing and reaching to fluff his pillows but failing to see the look he cast at his dog as she did. "Your father went to the Board of Governors and saw to that. He has done nothing so far to find the true perpetrator and failed to stem the tide of malicious gossip spread about the innocent." She sighed. "I have to wonder if your father wasn't right when he wanted to send you to Durmstrang. At least there you wouldn't be accosted by beasts."

He shrugged. "There are good things about Hogwarts. My friends are there." He frowned. "I wish I could remember what had attacked me though."

"You don't recall?"

He shook his head. "I remember these bulbous yellow eyes but… I don't know. Everything went dark pretty quickly and I feel like I've been out for a while. Like I've been walking around in the dark or something." He shook his head in frustration. "I should try harder though. Maybe if they knew what was in the Chamber, though could find it or fight it more easily."

"Maybe." She leaned over and kissed Draco's head. "But do not feel that you are responsible for solving what ought to be the school's problem. I'm sure you need some rest so sleep as long as you like. And do not worry about school – the winter break is about to start." She beamed at him. "And not to get your hopes up too much but you father invited Harry back over – so hopefully you will have some company as well."

"Harry's coming back?!" He practically shouted. "Can I go meet him when the Hogwarts Express gets in? How long is it until winter break?" He gasped. "And I'll need to buy him a present, Christmas is right around the corner and I haven't gotten him anything…"

"Get some sleep first," Narcissa laughed, heading for the door. "And we'll see about all of the rest."

OOO

"You're packing?" Theo sat on his bed and looked at Harry haphazardly stuffing robes and socks into his trunk. "I thought you had intended to stay here over break, like you did last year."

"Mr. Malfoy said it might be a good idea to keep Draco company," Harry said as he rolled up some loose parchment. "And I'd like to see him too. Besides, I'm not too keen on staying here with a monster on the loose and Dumbledore gone from the school. Maybe if I'm over at the Malfoys' I can persuade Mr. Malfoy to have Dumbledore reinstated. I mean, I can see his point about him not doing much and all but I think this place will be more dangerous without him around." He looked up from his packing at Theo. "I'm sure it's not too late for you to come with me either. I mean, people were pretty eager to get home after the last attack but I'm sure there are seats left. And the Malfoys would probably be really happy to see you there as well. I think they're really worried about Draco and want him to have company to cheer him up."

"Thanks but… well, no offense, but I would rather not. Besides," he said with a shrug, "I really need to study a bit." He stood up. "I'm going to go to the library to read up on a couple of charms. I'll let you pack."

"Alright." Harry continued to fold his Muggle clothing. The trunk was mostly full when he decided to take a break. Stretching out onto his four-poster, he glanced out the window. Two days later and the snow was still coming down in droves. Every time he was around the others, Hannah kept staring up at the sky like it was about ot fall down on them and even he had to admit it did little to lighten the oppressive mood.

Sighing, he swung off the bed, kneeling down to be sure that he hadn't left anything that had slipped beneath the bed. While he was on the floor, however, he noticed an edge of a book sticking out from beneath Theo's bed skirt.

_Did you ever see Draco with a black book, probably blank – like a diary?_

He opened it up and flipped through it. It was blank; so although there was nothing to specifically indicate that it was dark, the fact that it was empty meant that it did match the description that Mr. Malfoy had given him. And then, when he flipped to the last page, a folded up piece of parchment slid out. Harry froze when he saw it, looked around half expecting to see Theo, but finally picked it up. Unfolding it, he saw that it too was blank – but it wasn't unfamiliar.

Closing his eyes, he touched the paper with his wand.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," he whispered.

He only opened his eyes a crack, but it was enough to see the ink spiraling across the paper, forming the hallways and rooms of Hogwarts.

The Marauders Map.

"Theo…" He breathed.

Quickly, before anybody came back, he stuffed the map and the blank diary into his trunk. He wasn't sure what the diary _was_, precisely, but he knew that it couldn't be good. He was slightly worried for Theo – but getting the diary away from him had to do more good than harm if it was dangerous, Harry reasoned. They were going home the next morning which meant he would see Mr. Malfoy before nightfall.

He was the one who mentioned it so surely he would know what to do.

OOO

The twins walked into the dormitory, hoping to find Lee. Instead they saw Theo, tearing the sheets off his bed and overturning the mattress. His clothing and books were strewn everywhere and he looked haggard.

"Lose something?" George said as they both looked on, wide-eyed.

Theo looked up and flushed.

"I… I just… I can't find a library book, that's all, if you'll excuse me…"

He pushed past them and ran down the stairs and out of the Common Room. The Weasleys watched him leave, somewhat confused, before Fred shrugged.

"He always was a bit touchy about those books," he said nonchalantly. "I'm sure he'll be back to normal by dinner."

Once they were at dinner, however, Theo never appeared. Given Dumbledore's absence the meal was already gloomy and the subtraction of one more only added to the general air of tension. The twins glanced at each other nervously; no other Gryffindors were there except Lee and Percy, but neither seemed to notice Nott's absence. Only Millicent whispered a question about his whereabouts and was answered with a shrug. When they left the Great Hall after dinner, however, it was abundantly clear where he'd gone.

Large red letters were smeared across the floor.

_HIS BODY WILL LIE IN THE CHAMBER FOREVER._

"Oh my goodness," McGonagall gasped.

Before any of the teachers could do anything, the Weasleys ran down the hallway, George pulling Fred who picked up the hint and quickly trailed on his twin's heels.

"They'll probably make us go home," George panted as they rounded a corner.

"I know! So what are we doing? Trying to find Theo?"

"No idea where to start," said George, bounding up a flight of stairs.

"What then?" Fred followed him, hands running along the banister.

"Owlery," George replied by way of explanation.

"Owls? For what?"

"They'll travel faster than however we will, probably," George said, taking the steps two by two. "And we need to act as quickly as possible."

"Harry?" Fred asked.

"Him and Draco. Harry said he was being given the potion… they have a knack for this type of thing. And hopefully Draco can shed some light on whatever that monster is." They reached the top of the steps and George began rummaging through his pockets until he found a scrap of paper. "Got a quill?"

"Here." Fred pulled a mussed looking one out of his trouser pocket. "This should do."

George scribbled on the paper and hurriedly tied it to an owl before they boy began descending the stairs as quickly as possible. They ran to the Common Room where McGonagall found them waiting, telling them exactly what they expected to hear. She herded them and the remaining students into the Great Hall once their trunks were ready, telling them that coaches would be there shortly to take them home.

"I think Theo… Something happened with Theo. And a book," Millicent whispered to them when they sat down next to her to wait. "I can't remember exactly, but I remember something about him…"

"There's no way we can slip out to do anything now," George whispered. "But we sent a letter to Harry and Draco. Maybe something…"

"And if that fails we still have Lockhart," Fred said with sarcasm.

"Fantastic," Millicent whispered, looking at the whispering teachers with a sinking feeling.

OOO

"Acromantulas?" Draco repeated slowly. "If it was Acromantulas… I'm such an idiot!" He punched his pillow.

"What? What is it? Do you know what it is?" Harry scratched behind Dragon's ears and shifted on the mattress. "We tried getting them to tell us…"

"Think about it!" Draco looked at him. "What kind of monster _would_ Slytherin have? It's right on their crest! A snake, a huge snake…" He snapped his fingers. "That's why you were hearing voices! You're a Parseltongue. You weren't going crazy, you were hearing the monster. Which means," he said, his voice dropping, "It's got to be a basilisk."

"I've got more bad news," Harry whispered, opening up the trunk that was left at the foot of his bed. "Your dad was asking about this and I found the map inside of it," he said pulling out the diary as Draco got up to answer a tapping at the window. "They were under Theo's bed. Draco, I think he might be involved with the Chamber. I don't want to get him in trouble but I'm worried that it might be dangerous. We should probably talk to your dad about it tomorrow."

"Too late," Draco whispered, thrusting the paper the owl had dropped off towards Harry.

"Oh no…"

"We need to get to Hogwarts, now," Draco said, pulling on robes.

"Right now? In the middle of the night?" Harry looked at him, incredulous. "Shouldn't we talk to your dad first?"

"He might hesitate," Draco said. "Especially if this is something he knew about."

"Well how are we going to get there?" Harry replaced his pajama bottoms with a worn pair of jeans. "We can't very well go on the Hogwarts Express."

"The fireplaces in the Common Rooms are Floo Ports. We'll need to stop by the Weasley's first though."

"What? Why?" Harry buttoned his shirt. "I don't think they're even there right now, I think they're in Egypt…"

"Chickens. Roosters, actually." Draco brushed his hair back and lit his fireplace. "Best way to kill a basilisk. We'll need to borrow one." The fire flared up and he turned away from it. "Dobby!"

"Yes Master?"

"Dobby, keep my mother and father from finding out as long as possible, alright?" He instructed as he gathered up his invisibility cloak. "Don't get into trouble. Just… stall them, alright? And you'd better bring that," he said, looking at Harry and pointing at the diary. "It might be useful. Even necessary."

Harry nodded and went over to the fireplace, along with Dragon.

"Let's go then."

OOO

A/N: So the finale of the first half begins. School starts soon, but the battle will hopefully be over before them. And as always, feedback is much appreciated and very motivational.


	28. Descent

OOO

"Is that healthy for the bird?" Harry watched Draco stuff the rooster into a sack he'd grabbed out of the garden supplies. Dragon nudged at the bag with his nose and there was a flutter inside.

"What do you think I'm going to do, tuck it under my arm?" Draco carefully knotted the sack shut. "He'll peck up my arm and try to fly away. Besides, the rooster needs to be in a dark place so that he'll crow when taken out. This will keep him calm until we can use him."

"Alright. Just don't suffocate it or something."

"It will be fine, Harry. I promise. Burlap breathes. I swear."

Harry lead them back inside and tossed a handful of Floo Power into the fireplace. "The Hufflepuff Common Room!"

Draco and Dragon followed suit a moment later and they all stepped out into the room, dusting themselves off.

"So where do we go from here?" Harry asked.

"First, we need to use this." Draco pulled a bottle out of his pocket. "Come on, let's get to the infirmary. Make sure we have my cloak – even though they evacuated the school, if anybody is still around it's probably Madame Pomfrey."

"The rest of your potion I'm assuming?" Harry said, still looking at the swirling liquid.

"Yeah." Draco tucked it back into his pocket. "I figure it would be better to get help than not. There's not a whole lot let but probably enough to wake up a couple people."

"Are you _sure_ that's a smart idea?" Harry kept pace with Draco. "I mean, not saying that we couldn't use help. But if this goes badly, I don't want to get anybody else involved."

"That's why we're doing this – to make sure it doesn't go badly."

"Yeah, but we only have one invisibility cloak and even that can only cover so many. More people is riskier."

"Don't you think they would be upset if we had the chance to wake them and didn't? If they could have helped but never got the opportunity?"

"You only have a little bit of potion anyway – how are you going to decide who to give it to? There are a lot of people Petrified, a lot of our friends. All of whom would probably want to help. If we can't give it to anybody, maybe we shouldn't give it to anybody."

"That's dumb!" Draco rolled his eyes. "That's like saying because some people can't eat, nobody should eat. It doesn't help anybody. I still think we wake up who we can then leave it up to them."

"Fine, fine," Harry groused. "Who are you going to give it to?"

Draco stopped in his tracks on a stairwell. "I really don't know."

"Cedric? Cedric might be helpful."

"Yeah. He's older and that could help."

"But…"

"…but I just realized something." Draco looked down at Harry from a few steps above him. "We don't know where the Chamber is. At all."

"Do you think somebody in the infirmary might know?"

"Maybe. They were all attacked in different places, though. I don't know if one or any of them was attacked near the entrance. But the basilisk has to be emerging from somewhere."

"Well… alright, what about Dragon?" Harry looked at the dog with a nod. "You could pick up Theo's scent and trace it, couldn't you Sirius?" He whispered.

The dog barked.

"Right then. We find out where the entrance is before doing anything else." Draco nodded. "Why don't you give him the diary? That should have plenty of Theo's scent on it. A bit of yours and mine, but hopefully that won't be a problem."

Sirius sniffed at the book Harry proffered and then put his nose to the hall, searching. However, even after going to the tower entrance and trying to trace from the portal, he shook his head. They all ducked into a side hallway and he shifted back to his human shape.

"I'm not getting much. I'm sorry," he apologized. "But whatever Theo used to sneak up on me in the garden – assuming it was Theo – he must have kept using. I can't get much of a scent off the book and any tracks other than ones to regular classrooms are pretty much covered up. I'm not getting anything that says he was headed anywhere unusual."

"Well maybe it's not unusual. Maybe the entrance is in a regular classroom." Draco sighed. "But we're wasting time with this. Have we checked the Marauder's Map?"

"I looked." Harry shook his head 'no.' "I can't even find Theo on it."

"I'm not surprised," Sirius said in an equally frustrated tone. "We never found anything like that and we couldn't map what we didn't know was there. Plus it could very well be Unplottable. I'd be surprised if it wasn't since Slytherin went to such great lengths to make it a Chamber of _Secrets_."

"Any ideas then?" Draco looked at them nervously. "It's getting late. The more time passes the longer before we can find and save Theo, if he's not…" He left the thought unfinished.

"I'm sure Theo's alright," Harry tried to assure him but without much conviction. "And there's got to be a way to find the Chamber…"

"If we knew if anybody saw the snake emerging we could ask." Draco sighed. "But we don't. We don't even know if the Petrified people are in the infirmary. They might have moved them because of the danger."

"What danger? It isn't like they can get Petrified twice," Harry pointed out. "And you know, I might have an idea about where to go for Chamber information. But…"

"But what? Come on, we don't have a lot of time!"

"It's kinda dangerous." Harry murmured.

Sirius looked at him apprehensively. "Harry? What are you thinking of?"

"The only ones who were able to give us any solid leads were… well… the acromantulas."

"Then that's where we're going," Draco said, resolved. "Come on, it's getting late. It'll be eleven soon."

Sirius shifted back and followed Draco out the front entrance. Harry came up behind him and grabbed Draco's arm.

"Draco… they're in the forest and it's almost midnight. And I know you like animals but…"

"We have to. We're running out of options and unless you have a better plan for finding the Chamber, this is what we have to do."

"Draco, these spiders are dangerous. _Really_ dangerous. They might have eaten us! And there were a lot more of us then to defend ourselves. If the basilisk hadn't intruded we might have died. Besides, I'm not even sure I can find the way back to the nest. It's way back in the forest and we had a path of spiders to follow the last time."

"Harry… Look, I know they're a risk. I like animals but I'm not stupid. But I'm not leaving my friend in a lurch. Come on." He forced a grin. "You're the Gryffindor here. I thought danger was your thing?"

"I know." He took a breath as they reached the edge of the trees. "Well then, lets do this thing."

Steeling themselves, they walked beyond the boundary of the trees and into the eclipsing darkness of the forest. Even the stars were hard to see when the canopy of leaves was particularly thick and the clouds obscured the sky. Once or twice Harry thought he caught sight of the silver skin of a unicorn but it vanished quickly into the blackness. He shivered and pressed forward, trying to remember the path he'd taken the first time.

They didn't have long to go, however, when Harry stopped short at the sight of black eyes glittering in the darkness. His night-adjusted eyes made the outline of several large spiders ahead of them as well as…

"Firenze?" Draco whispered. "What are you doing here?"

"I am doing what I can."

"But how did you know we'd…"

"You have come," the largest of the spiders murmured. "You have come at the waning. But you have come nonetheless." It stepped towards Draco. "This is good."

"What do you mean, the waning?" Draco looked at Firenze. "What's going on?"

"We came to ask about the Chamber again," Harry interrupted. "We need to know where it is, how to get into it. We know what's in there," he added hastily. "That it's a basilisk."

"_Do not say its name!"_ The spider shrieked.

"Sorry!" Harry backed up.

"A girl died. Very near the entrance to hear our smaller brothers tell the tale," one of the others told them. "They spoke of a dank, watery place, warned us not to build our webs near there."

"A dank place where a girl died… Myrtle?" He looked at Draco. "Myrtle's bathroom?"

"That's near where Hermione was!" Draco added. "That must be it!" He turned back to the group. "But why did you come here? What is this about?"

"I came to give you something." Firenze held out a lengthy wrapped item he had been holding. "It was something my clan kept for a very long time, as a gift to an old friend. We were not sure if the time would ever come to give it away. But the stars do not lie. The sights seen… yes, I think that it is time." He handed it to Draco. "May it help you tonight."

"What _about_ tonight? What's happening?" Draco sounded agitated as he grasped the gift. "A little more information would be nice!"

"Tonight is in many ways a beginning…" Firenze shook his head. "But I should not say too much. At least until there is confirmation."

"Why not!" Harry interjected. "It might help, you know."

"I cannot… I cannot say much. But there are whispers and prophecies you must be ready, young Potter. You and Draco both. Be ready and be wary."

"For what? The ba… the monster?"

"You know what it is you must do," the large spider hissed. "Do not hesitate. But go. The time is swiftly upon you both."

Then the spiders turned and skittered off into the darkness.

"That was odd…" Draco murmured.

"I must go too." Firenze set a hand on Draco's shoulder. "And may the earth protect what is her own."

With that, he galloped off as well.

"_Creepy." _Draco said after a moment. "Really creepy."

"I'm just glad we're alive." Harry looked down. "What did he give you?"

"No idea, but we'd better get out of here. We need to get back to Theo."

"That bathroom… And Draco?" He struggled through the brush. "You're not going to do anything stupid, right?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like the spider said, we need to kill the creature. You're not planning to, you know, keep it or something, right? Like with Fluffy? I know you brought the rooster but it'd be nice to be sure."

Draco's expression grew drawn and angry. "Harry, do you know what cockfighting is? Or dog fighting?"

"What? Where they throw animals into a ring and make them fight? I've heard of it."

They stepped out onto the grass of the school's lawn with Draco taking angry steps. "When an animal is trained to do nothing but kill that's all it can even do. Its personality becomes too violent to ever be successfully integrated into any kind of environment, human or animal. And when that happens, there's nothing to do but put it down." He hurried along, clutching the rooster's bag. "And it's terrible when it happens, terrible and sad. But it doesn't change what has to be done."

Harry nodded. "And what about waking any of the others?"

"I suppose… we might need help. We'll administer the potion and leave a note before they're fully awake. That way they can go get Dumbledore or somebody if we don't come up. Otherwise… well, otherwise we might die down there and nobody would know."

"Alright. Do you know who you'll wake?"

"I think…" he whispered and looked around the corner to make sure the coast was clear. "I think that since Fred and George sent us warning, we help Ginny as a thank you to them. Besides, she's smart. She'll keep her head if something happens to us."

"Then we'll have to give some to Luna too. Since they're connected," Harry pointed out.

"Really?" Draco gave him a hapless grin. "Hadn't thought of that. But there should be enough for two." He slipped into the empty infirmary.

"Sure you didn't," Harry muttered.

Carefully, Draco dabbed the potion on their lips then slipped doses down their throats while Harry borrow a pad from Madame Pomfrey's desk and wrote down a note. As the girls began to stir Harry pressed it into Ginny's hand before he and Draco slipped on the invisibility cloak and disappeared down the hallway.

They came to Myrtle's bathroom soon after and, after a few brief questions, found a sink with the mark of a snake on it.

"So now what?" Harry peered at it. "How do we open it? With a handle or something? Should we tug at the pipe?"

"Maybe… Well, Slytherin wouldn't want anybody else getting in, would he?"

"No, probably not."

"So then how would he keep other people from getting into it? I mean, remember that story we read with Theo over the summer? The one where you had to 'speak friend and enter' to get into that mine?"

"Yeah? You're saying I need to say something in Parseltongue?"

"That would be my guess. Myrtle did say she heard somebody talking in a weird language."

"But what do I say? I mean, if it's a password, it could be just about anything – and there aren't a lot of clues."

"Try open."

Harry took a breath and did his best to think of snakes, to envision slithering.

Open.

The fixture slid back and revealed a pipe spiraling downward.

"You ready?"

"Yeah. Let's go."

OOO

Ginny shook her head and blinked to try and clear her sight. Everything was still fuzzy but she felt her limbs for the first time in what felt like ages. Carefully, she untangled herself from Luna who was likewise rubbing her eyes.

"Oh…"She groaned. "What happened?"

"I remember running…" Luna whispered. "There was a basilisk after us…"

"Now I remember!" Ginny looked at her. "We couldn't run fast enough so you took us to the water so we'd only see the reflection."

"I'm sorry about the Petrification," Luna said. "Had there been any other way…"

"I know. Beats being dead." She rubbed her eyes again then noticed a paper that had fallen to the floor. "Luna?" She looked over. "I think you need to read this." She swallowed. "Theo's been taken down into the Chamber and Harry and Draco have gone after him."

"Draco is awake, then," Luna whispered. "He must have helped us."

"Well what do we go?" Ginny got up and stretched. "Theo's in trouble, we can't stay here."

"They say we should make sure they come up and if not, get help." Luna pointed at the letter.

"Which might be too late." Ginny shook her head. "No, we need to do something about this. Of course we should probably send a message too. But we can't go down there unprepared." She looked at Luna. "You don't happen to have any roosters with you, do you?"

"No. But Draco probably would have brought one." Luna paused thoughtfully. "But if we need something to help them, there are lots of devices in Dumbledore's office."

"And you think its okay to just go there and get them?"

Luna shrugged. "I'm sure he will understand."

"Alright, if you know the password then lead the way."

"I am not sure how to get into the Chamber though. It is under the school, I'm certain, but I'm worried that we will not be able to find it in time."

"Getting into the Chamber? I don't know. Maybe in the Slytherin Common Room. Or… I think I remember Milli saying something about pipes…" Then Ginny snapped her fingers. "I know! The Room of Requirement!" She grinned. "If we walk back and forth in front of it and think about how we need an entrance to the Chamber, maybe it will make one for us! Come on!" She clapped. "The guys need us and we're going to come through for them, whether they like it or not."

"Just remember, sherbert lemon," Luna smiled. "It's the password to his office you know."

"How do you know, anyway?"

"Oh, you know. I'm good at listening," Luna said as they slipped off down the hall.

OOO

The boys landed with a thump onto the floor.

"Ow!" Draco winced. "I fell on that thing…"

"Is the rooster alright?" Harry caught Dragon as he slipped down. "And why don't you open that thing already, see what it is?"

"Yeah, I made sure to pad it on the way down." Draco reached for the ties on the package and opened it up. "And it's… a bow? That isn't strung and without arrows." Draco scoffed. "Great."

"Maybe it's magic. Let me see." Harry looked at it, a sleek shape made of ebony, detailed in gold. "HH," he said, looking at the working. "Hufflepuff?"

"I guess." Draco lifted it from his hands as Harry gave it back. "We'd better get going, though. Cape ready?"

"Ready."

"Then let's find Theo," he murmured.

They began making their way past monolithic snake statues, trying to ignore the weird shadows cast on the walls. At length they reached a door with twined snakes carved into it with emeralds set in the eye sockets. Draco's mouth dried and he gripped the bow and the bag while Harry brushed against Dragon for comfort.

"When we get inside," Draco whispered, "Sirius, you try and get Nott then get out." He barked. "Harry? Ready to do the honors?" He nodded.

_Open. _

They stepped inside under the cloak and saw a shadowy looking boy standing over the body of Theodore.

"Accio diary!" He called out. The book flew from Harry's pocket into his grasp, instantly making the other seem more solid. "And you might as well remove that cloak," the figure said with a smirk. "I knew you would come, Harry Potter."

OOO


	29. Shine

OOO

"Whoa. Dumbledore's office." Ginny looked around, wide-eyed. She meandered towards the windows and, brushing aside the curtains, looked out. "You can see the Quidditch field from here!" She told Luna who was busy browsing a shelf of books. "So what do you think we should take? We probably won't be able to carry a whole lot." Walking over to a table full of whirring instruments, she touched one then drew her hand back when it sparked. "I don't even know what most of these do or if they would be any help. Do you know? I mean, your dad collects stuff like this doesn't he?"

"I think we should ask," Luna said, turning to look at her. "That would make the most sense."

"Ask who?" Ginny frowned. "Dumbledore's gone. Along with all the other teachers too, it looks like."

"Them." Luna nodded at the various portraits circling the room, hands folding and nodded. "Excuse me!" She called out. "I'm terribly sorry to bother you like this, but we were wondering if any of you knew how we could kill a basilisk!"

There was a chorus of grumblings and yawning.

"Intruders!" One woman shrilled.

"Hold your tongue; it's only a couple of idiot students," a male snapped. "And who do you think you are to infiltrate the headmaster's office? He will hear about this, I'll have you know!"

"I'm Luna Lovegood and this is Ginny Weasley and you are…" she leaned forward to read the nameplate below the portrait, "…Phineas Nigellus Black." She looked up at him. "You're related to Sirius!"

"I know my own name," he replied dryly. "And who my relations are. Now if you would please vacate…"

"No!" Ginny shot back vehemently, and then blushed. "I mean, no sir. We can't. We have to take something…"

"Theft?" Another of the portraits interjected.

"No, you don't understand! Our friends have gone hunting the basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets and they could die and we need to help them but we don't know how. Please, tell us, and hurry," she pleaded. "We might not have a lot of time!"

"The Chamber is real?" A second woman said in surprise.

"You owe me thirty galleons Dilys," another wizard said smugly.

"Oh hush, Everard."

"A basilisk?" The former Black headmaster frowned. "I assume you have already checked the gamekeeper and grounds for any roosters."

"They were all killed," Ginny explained. "Anything else?"

"You might want to take along him." Phineas pointed towards something with a large velvet cloth draped over it.

Luna pulled off the fabric revealed a beautifully gilded cage with a sleeping phoenix inside.

"He's gorgeous," Luna whispered, transfixed.

"Fawkes is Dumbledore's pet and may or may not go with you. If he does it will be his decision. And if he goes, his tears are no better remedy against any injury you might incur."

"That would help." Ginny nodded. "But anything a little more, well, offensive?"

"You don't have your wands?" He said snidely.

""You know, you could be a little nicer about this," Ginny snapped. "Sirius is a lot friendlier than you are!"

"And you could use a little more common sense - something Sirius is lacking in as well. Unlike my erstwhile relation, however, I can see by your uniforms that you are Ravenclaws. I suggest you behave like them," he shot back.

"I think he's willing." Luna, who had by then undone the lock on the door, stood there with Fawkes perches on her arm. Suddenly, the bird flapped and flew across the office.

"Or not," said Ginny, looking worried. "We might be on our own."

"He's coming back," Luna noted. "With…"

"… with the Sorting Hat?" Ginny looked at the hat that Fawkes dumped into her arms before settling on Luna's shoulder.

"If Fawkes says we should take it, I think we should listen." Luna brushed his head. "He wants us to stay safe."

"Don't know how much help a hat will be, but I guess it couldn't hurt." Ginny shrugged, a pulled it on her head. "How do I look?"

"Like you have a very lumpy hat on your head," Luna answered plaintively as they descended the stairs, Fawkes taking to the air as they did.

"Well so much for dashing," Ginny sighed, rushing down the steps. "Come on, we need to move."

OOO

Harry froze beneath the cloak and the boy's face flexed in agitation. "Hesitation? Just as well. Don't want a repeat of last time, anyway. Accio!" He called a second time and the cloak flew to his hands.

As Draco and Sirius scatted, he tossed it aside with a flourish, giving Harry just enough time to pull out his wand. He shot a disarming spell at the boy, causing the cloak to float out of his hands and fall against the wall. Draco rushed behind a column and Sirius dashed over to Nott, licking his face in an attempt to rouse him.

"Leave him Black!" The boy whirled onto the dog and Harry shot a stupefy spell that missed him by a narrow margin.

"Focus on me!" Harry snapped. The moment the boy's attention was diverted, Sirius changed back into a human and quietly gathered Nott in his arms. "Who are you anyway?" Harry continued to talk and kept his wand trained on the figure, hoping to keep him distracted. "Other than the one releasing the basilisk!"

He sniggered as Sirius tried to edge towards the entrance. "You mean Theodore never told you about me? He should have. I'm one of his dearest friends. But that's right! I didn't let him." He sneered. "Really, though, we did become quite close. You can ask him about it, if he ever wakes up." Slowly, he and Harry began to circle one another. "Resisted to the end, that one, but it was never _quite_ enough."

"If you did anything to him, I'll…"

"What? Kill me?" He chuckled. "A bit hard to do. Not exactly human, now am I?"

"I don't care what you are!" Harry growled. "I'll find a way!"

"Blustering or not, I wouldn't be so eager to save him if I were you." He glances, barely, at Sirius who froze, though neither his wand nor Harry's moved.

Sirius held Nott's body close to his chest, shaking the boy just slightly but not trusting enough to look away from the obviously malevolent apparition. He backed away, hoping that Harry or Draco would be able to do something soon.

"Yes that's right; cradle him like he's some kind of innocent," he snorted. "You know, Harry Potter, I really don't think he's much of a friend to you at all. After all, he's been attacking your friends all year…"

"Only because you've done something to him!"

"…to say nothing of the fact that he's a murderer."

"Wrong!" Harry stepped carefully, worried about slipping on the grime of the floor, his palms sweating as he gripped his wand. "You failed! Nobody died, no one at all!"

Again, the apparition chuckled. "Oh, Harry, Harry… I wasn't referring to that. You see, young Theo there is a matricide." His eyes shown strangely in the Chamber's flickering torchlight. "That's right. Your good little Gryffindor pal killed his own mother."

"Lies," Harry hissed.

"Not at all. And didn't you ever wonder what he really saw in the Mirror of Erised? He wouldn't tell you but he told _me_." A great look of pleasure spread across the boy's face, a smile that reflected the delight he took in the memory. "But I'll let you in on the secret. He sees his father, kneeling, and him standing behind his father, slitting his throat. When he watched, he could even imagine it, his father's blood gushing over his hands, warm and slippery…"

"SHUT UP!" Draco's voice came from behind one of the Chamber's pillars and he shot a bright red spell at him. The boy deftly evaded however and shot a disarming spell at Draco that sent his wand flying. Draco fell back behind the pillar as the boy caught the wand.

"Fool!" He sneered. "Now I have this!" He brandished the wand.

"And I have this!" Harry, who had taken the opportunity to accio the book, closed the cover he'd glanced inside and held it aloft. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Sirius had finally reached the door and did his best to provide a last distraction. "Tom Marvolo Riddle? Is that you?" He laughed. "Doesn't sound so tough to me!"

Tom's eyes narrow. "No!" He swiped the air with the wands, forming the litters of his name – and then rearranged them. "Not Tom, never Tom! _I am Lord Voldemort!_" He screamed.

"And I killed you!" Harry pointed his wand defiantly. "And I'll do it again and again and again…"

"Enough!" He brandished the two wands. "Enough of this charade."

He hissed and the sound of creaking stone came. "And just to teach you a lesson," he said in English, "I think I'm going to kill your little friend over there first."

OOO

"He's gone!" Narcissa Malfoy's screams echoed throughout the manor, drawing her husband away from his desk. "Draco's gone, he and Harry, they've vanished… Lucius, Lucius, they've… Lucius!" She choked on her own sobs and Lucius took her into his arms.

"What's happened? Draco left? How do you know?"

"Tell him!" She shrieked at a quivering house elf.

"Dobby… Dobby overhears the young master talking about a diary mister Harry Potter found with mister Theodore and about going to Hogwarts," he stammered. "But young master is promising Dobby not to say anything!" He wailed. "Dobby does not wish young master to be hurt but young master did insist and he and mister Harry Potter, they uses the powder and goes back to the school!"

"Diary?" Lucius caught the word and felt his heart plummet. "They had the diary? _Theo_ had the diary?"

Dobby nodded meekly.

"That bastard," Lucius whispered. "I'll kill him with my bare hands! Stealing from me, endangering my child…"

"Lucius!" Narcissa clutched his robes. "Lucius, Draco is gone now! Worry about all of that later!"

He nodded. "I'll contact the ministry. You go St. Mungo's, see if they have anything that can counteract poisonous venoms. I want the halls of that school swarming with aurors before the hour is out!" He strode out of the room, leaving Narcissa and Dobby. She turned to the house elf who cowered.

"There are house elves all over Hogwarts, are there not?" She murmured and he nodded. "Go to them. Tell them to help find the Chamber, if you care as much as you say you do."

He disappeared in a pop and Narcissa took a breath to collect herself. Draco had to be their focus now, Draco and Harry and whoever else might have been drawn into the whole debacle. But afterwards somebody was going to _pay_.

Fellow death eater or not, nobody touched her family and came away unscathed.

OOO

Draco could sense the snake almost before he could hear it, slithering slowly out of its cavern behind a statue of Slytherin. The sound of the grinding stone made his hair stand on end and he hastily untied the bag before squeezing his eyes shut. No longer having his wand, he wasn't sure he could wake the rooster up – an easy task with 'rennervate' made more difficult since he'd been disarmed.

"Come on, come on!" He whispered. "Wake up!"

There was a rusting and the rooster wriggled out of his hands, but it didn't crow. Draco felt around for it, blind, and came into contact with the bow he'd dropped. Not finding the rooster, he pulled it to his chest, and then stopped when he heard the scraping of the snake grow closer. Voices were murmuring but the blood was rushing in his ears and he couldn't quite…

"Draco, watch out!" Harry screamed and tumbled to get out of the way of another shot from Riddle.

Draco tumbled hearing the smash of the pillar behind him. Scrambling backwards, he held onto the bow, wishing the rooster would hurry up and start to call. There was no sound, however, and he could hear the hissing. Blind, he tried to get to his feet, but the back of the snake rammed into him, fracturing his leg and sending him tumbling. He tripped over the coil, wincing in pain, and could practically sense the head pivoting, turning towards him.

There was a sizzling sound and Draco realized the snake must be dripping venom, potent enough to make the stone dissolve. His body tensed, fearful of the strike as thoughts ran through his head of what venom like that would do to his body. Another leap, another crash of the strong-muscled snake and Draco was up against the wall. He edged along it, but knew that if the snake faced him, there would be nowhere else to go but into its coils.

Legs wobbling and jolting in agony, he tried to shake his nausea and fear of dying, to focus on what he could do. The minutes were ticking by, it was getting later and later but he found himself unable to come up with much. He still had the bow but it had no arrows and the rooster wasn't reacting as well as he'd hoped and if only he had something to wake the animal up…

A memory bubbled of the previous sun-dappled summer and he heard Theodore's voice echo inside his head.

…_who deals death from afar, shot a strong arrow at her…_

Draco lifted the unstrung bow, pointed as though his digit were the arrow, moved as if he was releasing. He felt a rush through his veins and clarity in his action. Though his eyes were closed, he saw a brief glow behind them, a brilliant flash though he could neither tell where it had come from nor what it did. The pulse radiated outward, warm and swift and bright as the morning. And indeed, in the land above there came the minute shift from night to day, seconds ticking past to the blossoming though darkened morning. Within the Chamber there was a terrible hiss and, off to his right, Draco heard the sudden crow of a rooster.

He went to run but his leg collapsed. Eyes still closed, he realized the shadow of the snake was upon him, realized what was about to happen.

"Now rot," he whispered as the still-potent fangs of the dying beast pierced his chest, sending a burning sensation throughout his body.

OOO

"DRACO!" Harry had been blinded by a flash then seen the snake, eye sockets bleeding, when it hissed in pain, He then saw it fall upon Draco and bury its fangs into the other boy's flesh. Horrified, he screamed for his friend, only to be hit in the back and sent sprawling on the floor.

"Idiot," Riddle laughed, striding over to stand over Harry. "And now, Harry Potter, fascinating though you are, I'm afraid the time has come for you to die. First, however," he bent over the body and lifted up the book, "I'll be taking back my property, thank you."

He smiled at the pages then found the volume suddenly wrenched out of his hand, launched by an expelliarmus spell cast by a blond who was running towards Draco, a bird next to her. Riddle turned his wands toward her but before he could cast a spell he found them gone as well.

"EXPELLIARMUS!" A female voice screamed the spell for a second time, sending both of his wands flying. Ginny tossed Theo's to Sirius who had reappeared in the door way. "Wake him."

As Sirius rushed out the door, Harry staggered to his feet and Ginny tossed him his wand. "Catch," she said. "And this!" She whipped the hat off her head and threw it.

"What am I supposed…"

"I don't know but it asked for you!" She glowered at Riddle. "You like snakes so much?! SERPENSORTIA!" A black adder sprang out of her wand and wrapped itself around Riddle; but he only laughed.

"Snakes are my allies," he said, hissing. "They wouldn't hurt me."

"This might," Harry said from running into him from behind.

He plunged the sword into Riddle's back and he gasped as it protruded through his chest. A thin trickle of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth; but then he laughed again.

"Nice try! But it will take more than that!" He spread his arms wide. "Go ahead and try! Stay here long enough and I'll be able to take one of you again and then…"

"Harry!" Ginny barked. "Harry, Theo was trying to destroy the book!"

Harry looked at Riddle warily. Then with a swift motion, he pulled the sword out of Riddle's back and punted the book across the Chamber and into the puddle of venom that had pooled next to the corpse of the basilisk.

"NO! Accio!" Riddle screamed.

Too late, however; he began bleeding but it was blood and ink, and the diary in his hands dripped venom. "NOOOO!" He wailed again and it echoes throughout the Chamber.

Harry, still gripping the sword, looked down at the ruined diary, then over at Luna. "Glad the cavalry arrived. Is he alright?"

"Thanks to Fawkes," she beamed, petting the phoenix which had settled, along with the rooster, in Draco's lap.

"Lucky we found you in time or you both might have been goners," said Ginny with a grin.

"How _did_ you get down here?" Harry looked at her curiously. "Did the entrance to the Chamber stay open?"

"I don't know if it was open – we just used the Room of Requirement." She looked at Draco. "And where did you manage to get a bow from? And is that one of our roosters?" She squinted at it. "It is, isn't it!"

"Uhn… Ginny?" He looked at her, incredulous. "I'm kinda… and I mean… isn't Theo… I mean, I heard his voice, he told me… he said how… but I didn't… did he…"

"Theo!" She gasped and looked out into the hallway. "Is Theo alright?"

Sirius carried him back into the room, looking pale and worried. "He's not waking easily," he whispered. "He stirred but passed out again."

"We need to get out of here," Harry said decisively. "Worry about explanations later. Here, Sirius, let me carry Theo. You change back…"

"You could just let Fawkes do it," Luna said, letting the phoenix carry her, floating, as if to prove a point. "They're very good at lifting loads."

"Right then. Everybody hold on and let's get out of here."

OOO

So everybody gets a few moments, big and small. Obviously there's a lot to be explained and I promise it will be in the upcoming chapters. Next chapter will be dealing with the fallout and will probably feature the adults more than the kids. And that will be out whenever I manage to find a spare few minutes, promise.


	30. The Guilty Party

OOO

OOO

"Made it, did you?" Myrtle drawled as the five children tumbled of the pipe.

"You sound relieved," Draco muttered with sarcasm as he stood up.

"He's still not awake." Harry tried to support Theo as Dragon came over and licked his face. "What do you think we should do?"

"Have you tried rennervate?" Draco suggested, giving Fawkes a last pat before the phoenix flew off – presumably, Draco thought, to go and find Dumbledore.

"I will now."

"And what are we supposed to do with these?" Ginny hefted the sword Harry had stuck into, and then subsequently pulled out of, Riddle. "I don't suppose we're going to be allowed to keep them."

"Why not?" Draco clutched the bow. "I'm keeping mine, it was a gift!"

"It worked, he's waking up," Harry interrupted, and then lifted his head. "Do you hear something?"

"Master Draco!" They all heard a high-pitched scream and Draco felt a minute pair of arms suddenly wrap themselves around his waist.

"Hello, Dobby," he gasped.

"Master Draco, you is alright!" Dobby's round eyes were brimming with tears. "Oh, we was worrying so and you mother, she is crying since you has left her, oh you should not have left! And Master Harry Potter!" He wailed. "You made it back also!" He released Draco from his vice and Harry braced himself, but Dobby clasped his hands. "Dobby must go to be informing Master Malfoy right away!" He vanished with a pop.

"Master Malfoy?" Draco repeated.

"I think he means your father," Luna said.

"Why would my father be here? Come to think of it, why would Dobby?"

"They probably found out we'd left," Harry said, helping Theo to his feet. "We didn't do that much to hide the fact we'd gone."

"And your father is very good at his duties," Luna pointed out as she held onto the rooster, now asleep despite the excitement. She came over to look at the bow, tracing her finger along the curve. "Did you ever think he wouldn't come?"

"Theo?" Ginny looked at him hesitantly. "Are you alright?"

"I'm going to be expelled," he whispered as tears started spilling over.

Before any of them had an opportunity to reassure them, Lucius Malfoy came bursting through the door.

"Draco!" His voice nearly cracked. "Draco, what were you and Harry thinking, doing something so foolish? You could have been maimed or killed or worse! Who knows what kind of curses were cast over that place?" He looked at him with a gaze torn between relief, anguish and severity. "Why didn't you get your mother and me if you knew Theo had gone into the Chamber?"

"There wasn't time," he murmured. "We weren't sure were it was and we didn't think…" He swallowed. "We didn't know if you would help."

"Draco!" Lucius felt his heart twist. "How could you even think that?" He turned his head to the boy who was shrinking back from the rest of the group. "Theodore!" He reached for him. "Theodore, this was not your fault and I apologize. This was a mistake." He looked down into the boy's eyes, as if trying to wordlessly convey his irresponsibility in the matter. Theo only shuddered and cried more.

"I don't… I want to sleep." He said.

"Of course. We'll get you to the hospital wing at once." Lucius straightened up and turned with a sweep of his robes. "Hopefully by now they'll have the place staffed."

"Um, dad?" Draco ran up to his side and held out the bow. "What do we do with these?" Ginny stepped forward, nervous, and held out the sword as well.

"Where did they come from?" He regarded the weapons with surprise.

"I got mine from the centaurs."

"And the sword somehow came from the Sorting Hat," Harry told him.

"I see. Well whatever they are, I'm not about to let them get confiscated by Dumbledore. They'll be no good to anybody gathering dust in that fool's office." He snapped his fingers. "Dobby!" The elf appeared with a pop. "Return to the house and get the leather bag with the extension charm and bring it here. Also," he said as a look flashed across his face, "find Narcissa – she should be at St. Mungo's – and tell her that Draco is alright. Have her get things ready back home and tell her we'll all be there soon."

The elf popped away with a nod and a last, tearful smile at Draco.

"Theo, they won't throw you out!" Ginny clutched the ruby-adorned handle. "They'll know this wasn't your fault, this was dark magic!"

"You don't understand," he whispered.

"Hospital," Lucius broke in. "Think about everything else once you've gotten some rest." He guided them down the halls with a confident air, though inside his mind was reeling.

OOO

"Fred! George! You're alright!" Mrs. Weasley nearly burst into tears as she came through the door. "We were worried all the way back to England!"

"Love you too, Mum," George gasped as she crushed him in a hug.

"You've been behaving, haven't you?" She withdrew suddenly and gave them a look. "We came home as quickly as we could but you've been alone…"

"We're fine, we didn't do anything." Fred stood up from the table, holding out a letter. "This came for you about an hour ago."

"What's this?" Mr. Weasley came in with the suitcases. "Did something else happen?" He asked with worry.

"Theodore Nott got dragged into the Chamber of Secrets," George told him. "But I'm sure they told you that when they sent us home. This is good news, though."

"Oh Theo!" Molly sniffed and then looked at her husband. "He's asking for us."

Mr. Weasley took the letter and looked it over. "He's asking for you." Setting down the letter and the last suitcase, he went for the fireplace. "I'll get the Floo Powder."

"Do you think he's alright?" George asked, looking agitated. "We wanted to go down ourselves…"

"Well thank goodness you didn't!" She hugged him again and then hugged Fred. "I don't know what I would have done… but how did Theodore end up down there in that awful place?"

"I don't know," whispered George.

"He might have been the one opening it," Fred said morosely. "Not really clear on the details."

"Opening it?" She gave a disbelieving laugh. "Freddie, he's a Gryffindor, that's not possible."

"I don't know any details. All I know is that Milli said something happened with Theo and a book, and then he got taken down into the Chamber." He looked unhappy. "We couldn't do anything."

"We'll come now, though," George added. "Also, before I forget – Draco and Harry left this note too."

"Draco and Harry? What were they doing here?"

Fred and George exchanged glances.

"Borrowing a rooster?" Fred said with a small grin.

Her eyes narrowed. "You two sent then after Theodore didn't you?" Her voice rose in pitch. "You should have waited for an adult! The two of you are going to be grounded for the next fifty years if anything happened to any of them, _do you understand?!" _

"Molly, darling, the Floo port?" Mr. Weasley interrupted before she could work herself up any further.

Fred and George exchanged looks of relief, and then trailed their parents into the fireplace.

OOO

"Do you think it's true, what Riddle said?" Harry looked out of the tower window; snow had started to fall again and was slowly forming a blanket on the ground.

"No, I don't. He was a liar," Draco replied resolutely and scratched behind Dragon's ears. "I wouldn't believe anything he told us. He was only trying to make us upset."

"By why won't he talk to any of us?" Ginny murmured from the foot of the bed. "He started crying and then when he got to the hospital ward he closed the curtains and acted like we weren't even there! Why would he do that?"

"That diary did something bad to him." Draco rubbed Dragon's head, distressed. "And my dad…"

"Your dad wouldn't do something like this on purpose, would he?" Harry asked.

"I think he likes Theo," Luna mused as she too gave the dog a pet, "but sometimes things happen that people don't mean to happen."

"I want to know what that thing was, anyway," Ginny muttered. "I don't like it. If it was supposed to be Voldemort then it should have been a ghost. But why would it be young? And why would Harry have been able to stab it?"

"Maybe it's like portraits," Harry suggested. "But with words instead of paint."

"Portraits don't step out of their paintings the way that thing could step out of the diary!" She protested. "And anyway, whatever it was, it seemed unusually smart."

"Well so are the portraits," Draco pointed out. "Did you tell me you got help from a relative of Sirius'?"

"Yeah, we did. Who, by the way, was a complete git, I'll have you know," Ginny told the dog, who barked. "But even though they can move and talk, portraits can't think. Whatever that was, from what you told me and what I saw, it seemed self-aware, able to learn and remember things. That's not usual, even for Dark Magic."

"Because you're an expert on Dark Magic," Draco shot back.

"I know enough!" She flushed. "Don't be mad at me because it was something connected to your dad!"

"Don't talk about my father!" His voice grew louder.

"Stop that," Harry interrupted. "We don't know anything for sure about what happened with Theo and the book or how he got it. Let's not assume anything until he tells us."

"If he'll even talk to us," said Ginny.

"Well let's go down and check again." Harry left the window sill. "Maybe he's feeling better now."

"Guess it couldn't hurt," Ginny agreed and followed him down the steps.

Before they could exit the common room, the door swung open to reveal two familiar faces.

"Fred and George?" Ginny looked at her brothers, confused. "What are you doing here?"

"Could ask you the same thing," George said with a lopsided, relieved grin. "Weren't you Petrified?"

"I got better," she teased. "But why are you here? Draco and Harry said you'd all been sent home."

"We were. We came back with mum and dad and we were going to see about finding you lot," Fred told them.

"Mum and dad are here?" She looked back and forth between them. "For what?"

"Theo wanted to see mum. She flooed over as soon as she found out." George backed out of the portrait. "I assume you were hoping to see him yourselves?"

"If he even wants to see us," Ginny sighed.

"I'm sure he will." George glanced at them with apprehension. "What happened down there, anyway?"

"We'll see if Theo's up and what he's got to say," Harry told them. "He knows more about the diary. And Draco and I can fill you in on the Chamber after that."

OOO

"Theo?" Mrs. Weasley hovered at the edge of his hospital bed. "I got your message. You wanted to talk to me?"

He lifted a tear-streaked face up towards her and trembled. "I killed my mother," he whispered. _"I killed my mother!" _

Mrs. Weasley hugged him, tight as she had ever held her own crying children, and stroked his hair. She didn't tell him it would be alright or assure him that he hadn't killed her. She didn't say anything at all for the moment, but let him sob and sob, until his cries grew soft and his body still. Then she set him back down carefully on the bed.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

He turned into the pillow, clutching it and trying to stop the tears.

"I didn't mean to, I didn't _know_." He flipped back over. "I was so stupid, so incredibly _stupid!"_

"What happened?"

"Theo?" Ginny peeked into the infirmary. "Hi mum!" She hesitantly waved. "If you don't want us in here, we can leave…"

The boy scoffed through his tears. "Too late now. You already heard."

"I didn't believe Riddle!" Draco declared resolutely. "Not a bit."

"You should have. He was right." The kids looked at each other while Theo stared down at the blankets. Reaching for Mrs. Weasley's hand, he gripped it tightly. "It can't be helped now. You ought to know." He took a breath and wiped away his tears, taking the tissues that Mrs. Weasley proffered from the bedside table.

"When I was about three or four, my mother fell ill." His eyes welled again at the memory and he paused for another breath. "She fell ill and I didn't know what was wrong with her but something was strange between my father and mother once she did get ill. They had conversations behind locked doors, conversations I couldn't overhear save for sounds and impressions. I didn't understand but I should have known something was wrong.

"Very quickly it progressed to the point where she was bedridden. And every day, like a dutiful son, I brought her tea. Father told me she needed to eat to be well again. I obeyed. I never thought…" He broke off again, took another tissue. "Last year, when Harry was poisoned, there was a reason I knew it was poison. It wasn't clear then, I still couldn't remember fully, but I recalled the scent, as soon as it touched my nostrils. That fragrance… that was what my mother's tea smelled of the last day I brought it too her.

"It was pleasant and flowery. I didn't think it would hurt her." His expression darkened. "I didn't think at all, stupid child. She touched it to her lips and she must have known. She did nothing to startle me though. She drank the tea, then turned… she turned… I'm sorry!" He started crying again and the last was finished through sobbing gasps. "She turned and told me she loved me! She told me to be a good boy, to be a _gentleman_, and then she… she just laid her head back and her hair was spread out everywhere and her breathing had been so… so shallow you could… could hardly tell when it st-stopped, she was… she was my mother and I killed her, I watched her die!" Tears poured unabated, and he did nothing to stop them but went on in a ragged fashion. "I was too dumb and stupid to see what my father was doing and I _killed_ her, I _poisoned_ her!"

There was silence in the room for a long while, save for the persistent sounds of Theodore's body-wracking cries. Then he drew in a long breath and pressed forward, words spilling out in his desperation to finish before he could no longer go on.

"And my father told me to forget, cast a memory charm on me, but things came back in bits and pieces and all I knew was that I couldn't be stupid again, I had to be smart and clever. And then I remembered when the charm… the charm broke," he said, omitting the part about the attempt to learn Occlumency, though Harry and Draco shot looks at each other while Ginny kicked Dragon. "But I couldn't bear for anybody to know so instead of saying anything, I found this diary in my things and I wrote in that and wrote in it and told it everything I remembered." He swallowed. "And then one day I opened the diary and it was gone, like I'd never written in it at all.

"Then ink spread across the pages and he told me his name was Tom and that he felt sorry for me, and already he knew so much about everything and I should have known again – stupid, _stupid_ – but I told him more and wrote more and he slipped in little by little…"

Theo broke down again and couldn't go on.

"You can't be held to account for what your father did," Mrs. Weasley murmured. "You were just a little boy, Theo. And you loved your mother, I know you did."

"Stupid," he repeated.

"You were a child. You were trusting. It wasn't your fault your father abused that trust." She drew up the blankets, tucked him in. "But you have to believe that yourself, inside of you." She kissed him. "Sleep now."

Ginny hugged her mother and the rest of the kids stayed gathered around him, though at a distance. At the doorway, a last but unobserved listener to the story swept away, moving out onto the snow-covered grounds in a fury, moving quickly towards the point where he could apparate.

OOO

"Welcome, Lucius." The elder Nott greeted him personally at the doorstep. "To what do I owe this visit?" He asked with a smirk.

"_Your own son!"_ Lucius screamed, his breath puffing in the chilled air. Grabbing the older man by the collar, Lucius throttled him against the heavy wooden doors. "What were you thinking, Gaius? And to use that thing… to use _me_ to do it! He's not some piece of mudblood trash, he's your child!" Lucius felt his throat burn from the screaming.

"He's Gryffindor scum!" Nott sneered. "He deserved all he got! Not as pure as you might think. And get your hands off of me before I have my elves alert the Ministry." His leer widened. "Perhaps they'd like to know the origin of that book."

"You couldn't incriminate me without incriminating yourself," Lucius snapped, releasing him nonetheless.

"And the same goes for you," he laughed. "I'm sure the ministry would love to know what you've been hiding all this time."

"You could have killed _my_ son," Lucius growled. "Don't think I'm going to forget that!"

"A sound a fury, Lucius, signifying nothing." His voice was light and bemused. "You have no definite proof, only your suspicions. And you won't risk jail yourself, I know you better than that. Now get off of my property," he snapped.

Gritting his teeth, Lucius disappeared, still fuming. Tossing aside the leather case with both weapons and the incriminating book, he slumped into a chair and glowered at the fire, as if it held the answers for how to strike back at the older Nott.

"Dear?" Narcissa appeared at the doorway. "You said Draco would be back soon? Do you think he would mind terribly if we went up to the school?" She stepped further into the study. "What's the matter? You look furious."

"Gaius Nott is the matter," he spat. "And my hands are tied. I can't do anything… then again." He rose. "I'm going to do some checking around for something, I do believe. You may attend Draco at the school, help him move back."

"Very well." She nodded. "What are you looking for?"

He looked at her apprehensively. "Better that I don't say anything, for now. But if I find it I'll let you know." He grabbed the Floo Powder with a clenched fist. "One good book deserves another, after all. Knockturn Alley!"

OOO

A/N: Brief edits were made to the last chapter, clearing up the Riddle identity issue that Dimrilla pointed out and also the fact that Ginny and Luna both know who Sirius is. So with that continuity issue cleared up, I give you the latest chapter. A little has been learned but there's lots more to be revealed. :)


	31. The Darkest Art

OOO

"You know, when you said we were going swimming, I thought you were joking. That or completely daft to try swimming outside at midnight in the middle of winter." Ron cinched the belt on his bathrobe and flopped into the chair. "But I have to admit, it was really fun – and really beautiful, what with all the stars overhead. And what was that stuff that you poured into the water anyway? It was completely gross and green before but it cleared up like that," he said with a snap of his fingers. "Smelled better too."

"Mother brewed that." Pansy squeezed water out of her hair. "It's a combination of a couple different potions, some used for clearing things like lakes, some for bathing. I've used it here before, but never shared it with anybody else. You should consider yourself lucky."

"Believe me, I do." He looked around the inside of the empty building they were in. "Are you sure we're not going to get into trouble for this?"

"The Muggles will never know we were in here. Besides, _they're_ the ones who are trespassing," she sniffed," by making our heritage into some stupid tourist place. This whole complex used to have wizarding connections."

"Back when the Romans were here?"

"And even before that." Pansy nodded to the ruin on the wall, a rock fragment depicting the head of a man with wild hair. "Muggles don't know any better so they surmise a bunch of nonsense about gods and goddesses, things like Sulis Minerva that they can safely dismiss as totally superstitious or fictional. In reality it was probably the location of a wizard healer or even a line of healers."

"And the spring? Did wizards make that too?"

"Possibly. Or not. The water might have had magical properties or it might have simply been a place where a wizard or witch settled down, used the waters to relax and became known for brewing healing potions that then got expanded and conflated with the baths themselves." She sighed. "It must have been quite a sight to see back in the old days, back when it was ours, before the Muggles overran it and chased us out. A lot of places used to be like that, you know, places where powerful wizards lived and people would come from all over to seek their advice or get potions or spells from them. Then Muggles took over and slapped some mythological label on them, like they were never real to begin with."

Ron nodded. "Do you think these baths could ever be ours again? That this place could function like it did?"

"I wish." She shook her head. "But the whole 'cooperation' stupidity our people have been promoting for ages means there's not much chance of that ever happening."

"Well maybe…" His train of thought was interrupted by the sudden appearance of an owl that flapped over to him.

"What's that?" Pansy looked at the parchment he unraveled. "Is it something important?"

"My sister woke up from the Petrification. And my parents are back early. Something about the Chamber being real and Ginny going inside it." He crumpled the parchment up in his fist. "Don't worry about it. It's not important."

"Come on then." Pansy tapped his shoulder. "We'd better get dressed and get back home. It's nearly two in the morning and we've still got a lot to do to get the house decorated and everything."

"Coming," he said, following her down a hall where she'd stashed their wizarding robes.

OOO

"These are all you have?" Lucius Malfoy browsed the meager selection with a frown.

"Our specialty is objects, Mr. Malfoy, not books. We receive very few volumes of little import. After all, artifacts can always be created but books, well," Borgin said with a twisted smile, "those have a nasty habit of disappearing here and never getting reprinted."

"I see." He looked at the man with a level gaze. "Do you know where I could find… books?"

"There are a few specialty sellers here and there, depending on what you're looking for. There are a few in England, London even, but I don't think they're selling the sort of volumes that would interest you."

"Then who does?" Malfoy snapped impatiently. "I have no patience for vague hints of games."

Borgin nodded. "Well, if you really wanted good selection, you would have to go to a place where anything goes, at least in terms of wizarding society." He took out a quill and scribbled an address on a piece of paper. "There. She's a witch in California. Pasadena to be precise. If anybody has the books that would interest you, it would be her."

"Thank you." Lucius took the scrap and turned. "And of course you realize I was never here," he said as he reached the door.

"As always. I know how to hold my tongue." He smiled wryly. "I wouldn't have much business otherwise would I?"

"Just see that you do this time. From _everybody_."

OOO

When all of the adults were gone and they could be sure of not being overheard, Ginny gave all of the boys and Sirius a glare worthy of her mother.

"I told you the occlumency was a bad idea," she snapped. "See what you did?" She glowered down at the dog that was draped across Draco's feet. "Trying that stuff almost got Theo killed!"

"No," Theo shook his head. "It was a good idea."

"Don't be dumb, Theo." She looked at him anxiously. "You would have never touched that diary if he hadn't gone prying into your memories in the first place."

"But I would rather have true, painful memories than blissful ignorance." He looked over at them. "And I've had practice. It wasn't exactly legilimency, but it was close enough, what he used to pry and insinuate himself into my mind. I didn't have a lot of success keeping him out, at least not at first. But at the very end I managed to keep a little, just a little. But he was _good_. It was like learning to play chess against Bobby Fisher. I lost a lot, but I learned a lot. And now I think… I think I want to go back to practicing."

"You can't be serious!" Ginny looked at Luna. "Don't you think this is a bad idea?"

The blond paused and twirled her hair with her finger and looked nervous.

"Well I think that if legilimency is something that Voldemort uses," Draco whispered, "that it's better to get ready as soon as we can."

"We're not going to be fighting…"

"But we have. Twice already," Harry added. "I think Draco and Theodore are right."

"Luna?" Ginny turned back to her.

"I wish we wouldn't fight." She looked at Ginny. "But inside your mind should be private. If you don't have that, what else do you have?"

Ginny threw up her hands. "Fine. But if anything like what happened last time happens again, we got to my parents or a teacher or somebody. Alright?"

"That sounds alright." Harry nodded. "Are you going to learn with us?"

"Might as well. I'm not falling behind you guys."

There was a sound at the door and they all fell silent, turning to see Madame Pomfrey. She was carrying a tray filled with bottles that she set down on a table.

"I'm afraid I will have to ask you all to leave." She looked at the group. "I'm going to be waking the other children up shortly and I'm sure their families will want to come visit them. Besides, they should have room to recover."

"We know most of them, though," Harry protested.

"Should I stay?" Theo asked.

"If you need the rest, dear."

"Why don't you come with us Theo? Besides, I thought the mandrakes weren't going to be ready until months from now." Ginny frowned. "What happened? Did you get them from somewhere else?"

"Not sure. Professor Sprout went to check on them when the school was deemed safe to return to yesterday. Apparently she found all the snow melted and the mandrakes mature." She uncorked one of the flasks and went to Hermione's bed. "Now hurry along. You may come back later, after everybody is awake and oriented."

"Will they be alright?" Theo looked worriedly at Hermione. "I didn't want to hurt anybody."

"You didn't dear. They will be as good as you are."

"Hopefully better," he murmured. "Maybe I will come after all," he said, getting out of the bed.

"We can come back right away, right?" Draco looked at Cedric and his fellow Hufflepuffs. "I want to see them."

"Only after I've administered the potion which I will only do it if leave," she told him firmly.

"We're going, we're going," Draco replied, practically leaping out of the room.

OOO

Narcissa adjusted the holly on the fireplace ledge and made sure each of the stockings hanging from there were straight. Everything had to be perfect for when Draco and Harry returned, all of that Chamber of Secrets nonsense behind them. Satisfied, she turned and saw her shopping bags from earlier in the day sitting in an armchair.

"Dobby!" She called as she rifled though a bag.

"Yes Mistress?" He appeared in the room in an instant.

She composed herself carefully, unsurely. "You did an admirable job. A job you didn't have to do." She cleared her throat and held out a package. "I got you these."

Ripping off the paper, Dobby's eyes began to well. "Socks!" He lifted us a pair of green and red striped socks. "Mistress got me socks!" He quivered.

"Well don't get all weepy about it," she sniffed turning away. "Payment for services rendered, that's all. Now leave me alone, I've got a lot of work to do."

Dobby was out of the room as quickly as he'd come and, despite herself, Narcissa smiled a little as she went to string more tinsel on the tree.

OOO

The motley group of Gryffindors, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs looked into the Gryffindor fire.

"So was it really him?" George finally asked, wedging another log into the fire. "Was it reallyYou-Know-Who?"

"I think it was." Draco said. "But we weren't sure exactly _how_."

"I think…" Theo started. "There was something in my father's library. I remember… but I'm not sure. I would need to check again, but I can hardly do that now."

"I'm sorry," Ginny whispered.

"I'll never forgive that," Theo said, eyes reddening again.

"He'll get what's coming to him," said Fred uncertainly, leading Harry and Draco to glance at one another, recalling what Riddle said about the Mirror.

"Really? And who will give him that punishment?" Theo looked at Fred. "There's no way to connect the book to him for certain. Draco's father will certainly be no help as anything would implicate himself. There's nothing but the weak word of a boy who thinks he remembers something from his childhood against a wealthy, well-established wizard. They'll say I'm bitter at him for mistreating me, they'll say that I was the one at fault." He looked into the fire. "Not that they'd be wrong."

"Bollocks," Ginny snapped. "And if you don't stop saying that, I'll… I'll slap you!"

As this Theo managed a smile but said nothing.

"Maybe we can sneak into your dad's house?" She went on. "Steal from the library and maybe do something while we're at it?"

"We couldn't do anything to hurt him enough." Theo kept staring. "But I know one thing, that I'll never be that stupid again. Never. And it wasn't all bad, I suppose. I learned a lot you know."

"For instance?" Harry asked.

"He puts stock in formality. Even if it puts him at a disadvantage, he likes things to be _significant_. Uniforms, ceremonies, symbolism, all of that. He feels that it helps distance himself from his Muggle upbringing and 'lower class' practices. He hates many of the students but he loves Hogwarts. That came through loud and clear.

"And he _hates_. More deeply than anything I've ever touched in my life, more visceral than any of my father's icy calculations. That's what I know."

"What was that thing anyway?" George frowned.

"I shouldn't say anything until I'm certain." He sighed. "I wish I had access to my father's library."

"What about Hogwarts? We could check there," Ginny offered.

"They would be in the restricted section for sure."

"Well, maybe Madame Pince isn't back yet." She stood up. "We've got a little time before everybody else is up and about again. Let's go check before somebody finds us."

"You guys go, we'll hold down the fort in case our mum comes back," the twins offered.

When they got up there, the library was in fact empty; but they found their search frustrated.

"They're in the catalogue," Theo said, scanning the shelves. "But not on the shelves. Who would want them?"

"What were the names?" Luna said with a frown.

"Here." Theo handed her a scribbled list of titles. "These are the ones I know would have information."

"Dumbledore has them," she said almost instantaneously.

"What?" Harry paused from his browsing and looked over. "What do you mean?"

"When Ginny and I were in his office looking for ways to help, I saw his bookshelf. I remember seeing _Secrets of the Darkest Art_ there." She handed the list back to Theodore. "He must have taken these books out of here himself."

"But why would he…"

"Because a former Hogwarts student already caused a lot of damage by reading them," Theo answered before Harry could finish his question. "Which tells me first that I'm probably right about my guess and second that Dumbledore does not trust students with knowledge, if he assumes it to be inappropriate knowledge."

"You don't approve," said Ginny.

"No. One person's sins… never mind. I dislike banning in any form, but that does not help us now." He looked at Ginny. "How did you manage to get into his office?"

"Luna knew the password."

"I overheard him giving it McGonagall one day." She smiled ruefully. "Funny what people will say about you if they think you're a bit daft and not really all that important."

"Maybe it will work again. Let's go." He started off.

"And if Dumbledore is in and asks why we're there?" Harry wondered.

"Surely we can make up something, given the circumstances," Theo replied, moving quickly.

When they reached the office, however, the password no longer worked.

"He must have changed it as soon as he returned," Draco sighed. "We'll have to wait for another opportunity to sneak in. Or get the book some other way. Any chance we could buy any of them?"

"Highly unlikely." Theo shook his head. "If I'm remembering… it's very dark magic. Books on it are exceedingly rare, almost always extremely old and, to be frank, any attempts to track them down would be met with more than a few raised eyebrows."

"Well what do you remember?" Ginny asked.

"Not much."

"Start with what you know. What was it anyway?" She asked as they walked down the hall.

"I think it might… there's a good chance it was a Horcrux," he whispered. "A dismembered piece of soul."

"What?" Draco froze, feeling suddenly ill. "That's not… how could you even _do_ that?"

"It's murky, but it involves murder, that much I remember. It would have to. You have to… I mean, ripping a soul apart would require something really awful wouldn't it?"

"Disgusting," Draco growled.

"So if he could make one, could he make more?" Ginny looked to Theo anxiously. "You can rip a piece of paper up more than once. Maybe not infinitely, but more than once. What if that one wasn't the only one? What if there are more diaries out there?"

"It's very likely. I didn't pick up anything specific from the diary. But like I said, he puts a lot of weight into significance and symbolism."

"Meaning what?" Harry asked.

"Meaning that if he was going to make more than one, he would have picked a magically significant number. A number low enough to be feasible but symbolic, especially to wizards."

"Three, seven and twelve would make the most sense," Luna murmured.

"You mean there could be almost a _dozen_ of those things?" Ginny nearly shouted, then lowered her voice. "What do you do? We can't let them float around out there!"

"Maybe they were…" Draco gulped. "Maybe he gave them all to people like my dad. If they were all locked up like that, it would explain why none of them has hurt anybody until now."

"That we know of," Harry interjected.

"So how do we find them? How do we even know what they are? And if we find them, what do we do with them?"

"I don't know," Theo sighed. "I wouldn't know where to begin."

"Sure you do," said Ginny. "You have his name right?"

"I suppose…"

"We know who he is; we can start tracking him down. Go over everything, find out about his life, and ask what questions we can without raising too many suspicions."

"You really think we should be doing something like this?" Harry asked quietly.

"It's the same as you wanting to learn Occlumency, isn't it?" She insisted. "This hurt one of our friends. And we know, all of us know, that _he_ isn't really dead. Maybe he's not strong, but he's not dead. And if he's using these Horcrux things, maybe we can't kill him until we destroy all of them."

"We don't know what we're going up against," Draco said quietly. "There might be curses on them, who knows what might be guarding them…"

"You guys were the ones always getting into trouble last year," she insisted. "What happened? Look, if Dumbledore has taken all those books out, he has to have some idea of what they were being used for. Why didn't he ever _do_ anything? Why didn't anybody find this stuff until now? What do they think this is? Some stupid set of tests, some dumb game?" Her cheeks were alight with anger.

"You're right," Harry nodded. "We should. We've got to start doing what we can."

"The others are probably up by now, you know," said Draco, still a bit nervous about the topic and its closeness to his family. "Shouldn't we go and check on them?"

The others nodded. As they went towards the infirmary, Ginny grabbed Draco's arm and pulled him back.

"If this is about my dad…"

"He took the sword, right?" She interrupted.

"Uh, yeah. I think so."

"Good." She nodded. "Make sure you know where it is."

"Alright…" He trailed off, and then hurried to catch up with the rest.

OOO


	32. Responsible

OOO

The kids decided to spend the night in the Gryffindor tower after a less than fruitful visit with their friends. They were all pretty groggy and events were still recent enough, and frightening enough, that they didn't get any pleasure out of retelling the story. So they had all retreated back to the tower and tried to rest like their friends in the infirmary.

Sirius left Draco's side for once and stepped into the bed with Theo. He cuddled up to the boy, seeing him shift in his sleep, and licked his face. Even in sleep he looked intent, as if he were still thinking, still trying to figure things out and make plans and go over matters in his mind.

Remus was right, he thought, Remus and Ginny both. Theo hadn't been ready for it; the legilimency had brought up awful memories and ended up putting him through who knew what suffering. He should have waited. He shouldn't have agreed to a request from a boy to young to understand what he was asking.

But... he sat his head on his paws and sniffed. It wasn't that easy, especially now. Now they knew what the threat was; now they knew how to fight it. Wouldn't it be irresponsible _not_ to teach them how to defend themselves?

But Harry had to have difficult memories too and Draco… perhaps not as bad as Theo's or Harry's, but he wasn't the kind of boy who would take easily to occlumency, Sirius thought. He was too open, too frank with his emotions to have an easy time suppressing them to block out a spell. He would have difficulty. Which was perhaps all the more of a reason to try and teach him.

They were wandering into dangerous territory and sure, he and James and Remus had all been young when they'd fought their battles, but not _that_ young. But being young wasn't an excuse, wouldn't protect them from Voldemort or any of his followers. They weren't going to be merciful because of age. If they were wrong, though, the unnecessary training would only tax them, even _hurt_ them, for absolutely no reason.

And because he was a free agent, because he had always played the role of the friend rather than the parent, he was the one they went to when the parents made a decision they disliked or they didn't want parents to know. And then the decision was left up to him and he had to make it without letting parents know, without finding out what they might want, without having the chance to talk it over with anybody besides Remus.

It wasn't easy, he thought, trying to raise children, trying to decide what was right and wrong for them, trying to know how to protect them from a world that demanded they grow up too fast. Not making a decision wasn't an option; even deciding not to decide, even doing nothing was a choice of sorts and he would have to live with the results of that decision.

He cared about the kids and he was responsible for them. And that was, to him, a terribly frightening thought.

OOO

"Well pardon me." Molly Weasley bristled when she bumped into the man stepping out of the Gryffindor portrait hole.

Lucius Malfoy looked at her and his lip curled into a reflexive sneer. "Here to gather your passel of brats?"

Her jaw clenched and she straightened up. "I'm here for my children as well as Harry and Theodore, to remove them as quickly as possible from those with _bad influences_."

"Harry is a guest at my manor," Malfoy responded icily, trying not to allow his expression to drop. "I would see no reason why he wouldn't come home with Draco and myself for the holidays."

"Really?" Her lips formed a thin line. "Because I could think of several."

The door swung open and Theo stood at the entrance looking between the two of them with a sudden, ill expression.

"Sorry to interrupt," he blurted. "I was just going to the infirmary. Again." He bolted and went down the hallway, rounding the corner as soon as he could.

The rest of the group stood in the doorway, shifting. The twins stepped up beside their mother while Ginny glanced at her momentarily before running down the hall as well.

"I'll make sure he's alright!"

Still remaining stony, Lucius looked at the rest.

"Harry?" He asked in a faint tone that bore a hint of hope mingled with arrogance.

Harry looked at him levelly and Lucius nearly felt his throat close up. If they talked about the diary, about Theodore in front of Mrs. Weasley, he could see all manner of unintended repercussions resulting. He might lose his place on the school board, there would be aspersions cast over all of his behavior since the war had ended over a decade ago, everything could be undone…

"I guess," he whispered. "Wouldn't want Draco to spend the holidays alone. I know what that feels like." He pushed past the two adults and followed Ginny's path down the hall with Mrs. Weasley following.

Only Draco and Luna were left then, with Draco staring at his father with a look that tried to be angry but settled for hurt. Luna touched his shoulder and he turned to her. "Could I have a moment alone with my dad?" He asked her and she nodded, vanishing down the hall with a glance at Draco and another at Mr. Malfoy.

The elder Malfoy looked into her semi-vacant, semi-bemused gaze and he felt his stomach lurch. She looked like she pitied him and he wasn't sure he could handle that, not from somebody like her.

"Can't you see this isn't going to change?" Draco whispered as soon as she was gone. "That me being your son, that everybody else being my friends, that is all does nothing to keep us safe? You're never going to be anything to _him_, or anybody who supports him. They don't love you, they'll use you, trick you. Look what happened to Theo!" His voice trembled.

"We are not having this conversation," Lucius snapped and tried turning away, but Draco grabbed his arm.

"I know you didn't mean… I know Mr. Nott took that book. But it could have killed any of us. He didn't care."

"We've had this conversation." He looked at the walls, the floor, anywhere but at his son and his disappointment.

"And you still aren't _listening!_" Draco pled. "We could die, any of us could! Doesn't that mean anything to you?" His voice was quiet and hurt.

"And what do you expect me to do Draco?" He rounded on him. "Turn myself in to Dumbledore or the Ministry? Send myself to Azkaban? You know that I can't do that. And if you believe, _genuinely_ believe, that he is out there and intending on returning then you must know why I can't do what you're asking. If I did, I would be first to die. We all would."

"My friends and I might not live that long to start with!" He protested. "There's got to be a way, some way…"

"Go see your friends in the infirmary," he interrupted. "Hopefully they'll be feeling better than they were yesterday."

"Dad…"

"Please, Draco." He looked at him. "I will be waiting downstairs outside of your dormitory when you're ready."

"You could come in and visit with me," he offered.

"I have the common sense to know that I'm one of the last people that they want to see. I will respectfully keep my distance and try to avoid making you more uncomfortable. And don't argue the point," he said when Draco opened his mouth to protest. "I saw how Harry looked at me. I know I am a source of discomfort to you and I won't foist myself upon your little clique further."

Draco nodded and started to walk away, then stopped. "Dad?" He looked at his father, trying to read his expression, his stance. "Are you disappointed in me?"

"I'm afraid for you Draco," he admitted.

There was silence between them and Draco left before it grew worse. With a heavy sigh, Lucius made his way down to the lower levels where the Hufflepuff rooms were. He sank down onto the cold floor, unable to forget the look in Draco's eyes. It happened time and time again and each time it grew worse, each time it frightened him more.

"You're going soft, you idiot," he growled to himself, hoping that no portraits or wandering ghosts heard him.

It was a dangerous game he was going to have to play, he realized. Help just enough to hope that Voldemort didn't return but not enough to be blamed if he did, try to offer support but not too obviously so that other people could tell and rat him out, try to protect his son but not go against any of the forces that endangered Draco, forces Draco and Harry and the rest seemed determined on running into and baiting.

Good thing his hair was already silver, Lucius thought with twisted humor. Otherwise it would undoubtedly be going grey.

OOO

"There's an empty bed," Ginny observed the moment she walked in the room. "Who left?"

"Guess." Ernie rolled his eyes and munched on a chocolate frog.

"Zach's dad came and got him first thing this morning," Cedric explained. "Though not without making sure to say something about Draco and his choice of friends."

"We told him off, though," Ernie assured Draco seeing the look on his face.

"What happened, anyway?" Cedric looked at them. "I remember the eyes and people are saying it was a basilisk. But how was it getting out?"

The five looked at one another; as far as most people knew, Theo had simply been dragged down to the Chamber. They weren't aware about the diary or the fact that he was the one releasing the creature.

"There was this weird ghost-thing," Ginny began; but Theo interrupted her.

"Stop." He muttered. "I did it." He looked from person to person, his gaze settling on Hermione last. "I'm sorry."

"You were?" Justin paled.

"There were conditions!" Ginny protested. "He was possessed by this weird… weird diary thing."

"Possessed?" Cedric looked at Theo. "Well if you were possessed, then it wasn't your fault."

"That's what they tell me," he mumbled.

"Where would you find a diary like that anyway?" Hermione asked. "Something so malicious would be very restricted wouldn't it?"

There was silence for a brief moment and Draco felt his hands grow clammy.

"My father," Theo whispered. "He slipped it to me."

"Well that's terrible!" Hermione gasped. "Your own father? How could he even consider doing such a thing?"

"I suspect it gave him very little trouble," Theo said shortly. "But I should have been on my guard better."

"And it wasn't just a possessed diary," Harry spoke up. "It was something quite dark. Theo believes…" He looked at the other boy who hesitated but nodded. "Theo thinks it was a Horcrux. More than that, he thinks, not sure but _thinks_, that Voldemort might have made more of them."

Ernie flinched at the name Voldemore while Cedric's face grew grave.

"A Horcrux? What's that?"

"Skipping the messy details, it's a piece of your soul that you put into something else," Theo explained. "That way, even if your body dies, part of you is still alive to find another... vessel would be the word I guess." He fidgeted. "They're very dark. You couldn't make them without doing something horrible and you wouldn't even know about them unless... you'd have to be well acquainted with the darker arts to even know about them." He finished, a hint of guilt in his voice at his own knowledge.

"And you think there are more? What makes you think that?"

"Nothing other than the fact that it would make sense. Maybe he didn't. But it's possible." Theo looked morose. "Hard to say what they would be or how many he managed to make, though."

"We should tell Dumbledore," Ernie spoke up immediately. "If there are things like these that could get into people's hands, he's going to need to know about it."

"Agreed," Hermione chimed in. "He'll know what to do."

"You mean like he did with the Chamber?" Ginny snapped. "Waiting until Theo got dragged down there and even then only deciding to evacuate the school? If it hadn't been for my brothers and Harry and Draco, he might have been left to his fate! _That's_ what good Dumbledore is."

"Well what do you think should be done? We should form a little posse and go hunting them ourselves?" Hermione demanded.

"Why not?! We've come through before!"

"Don't be ridiculous," she scoffed. "These objects are probably all cursed, you wouldn't know how to find them, you would probably have to break dozens of rules in order to seek them out – maybe even break the law!"

"So tell me," Ginny huffed, "_how_ exactly did you get into Gryffindor again?"

"Fighting isn't going to help!" Harry interrupted loudly. "I don't know what we're supposed to do, but we shouldn't be blind. Maybe we don't have to go looking for trouble but we should be cautious and be aware that things like these are out there." He looked down. "I'm sorry, you must all still be tired."

"No, I think it's a good point, Harry." Cedric nodded. "I wanted to know what happened to me. And even if you don't feel like telling us the whole story, at least not right away, I'm glad you were honest." He looked at Theo. "I can't imagine what you must have gone through, but don't think for a moment that I or anybody else blames you. And if anybody says anything, you ignore them."

"But I…"

"If it was Voldemort you're, what, twelve? Full-grow wizards had a hard time standing against him. Use the common sense that I know you have. Not your fault." He looked at Draco. "And tell me you didn't try to adopt the basilisk or anything."

Draco shook his head. "I had to kill her. I _had_ to," he murmured.

Cedric nodded soberly. "I understand."

"It was… I didn't enjoy it. And I got poisoned." He figured he could tell him about the bow when they were in a more private setting, without Justin or Hermione to hear and pry. "But Fawkes was there and managed to save me."

"Dumbledore's pet?" Cedric asked and they nodded affirmatively. "You got really lucky then."

"I know." He smiled at the girls. "But Fawkes wouldn't have been there if not for Ginny and Luna."

Ginny blushed and Luna smiled. "It was just common sense to bring him," said Ginny with a shrug. "When are you guys going home?"

"Hopefully soon," said Cedric. "My father is coming by this afternoon."

"Mine should be here too," Justin added.

"Shortly," said Hermione. "Mother and father are doing the drive up so it might take a while."

We'll probably get going then," Ginny said. "Mum and the twins have probably got everything packed and are waiting for me."

"And my dad is probably down by the Hufflepuff dorm by now," said Draco. "I'm sure he wants to leave. Harry?"

"You guys rest up," said Harry. "And lets go."

On their way out, Theo pulled Harry aside. "Harry, I want you to… Harry be careful."

"Well sure. But any reason why?"

"He was _obsessed _with you," Theo murmured. "Completely. Wanted to know everything about you. You're… I'm sure this doesn't surprise you, but after everything, you're first on his list. Watch your back."

Harry nodded. "I understand." He left with Draco while Ginny waited on Theo, Luna having gone on ahead.

"You didn't buy into that, did you?" She asked.

"Buy into what?"

"That we should tell Dumbledore and wait for him to do something."

He shrugged. "We've gotten lucky so far. But this is all getting really dangerous. Maybe she is right and we should leave it up to adults. We're lucky none of us has gotten killed yet." He looked at her with a somewhat blank expression. "And if one of us died, I wouldn't want to be responsible for encouraging the behavior that led to that."

Ginny said nothing in reply, only followed him back to the Common Room where Luna and her family was waiting with their bags, armed with floo powder and ready to go back to the Burrow.

OOO

"What's the matter with the boys?" Narcissa asked later that evening. "I know they've been through an ordeal but I was hoping this would be a somewhat happy occasion. But they barely said two words to me all evening and seemed jumpy. What happened? Did anything go wrong?"

"They know I'm at fault," Lucius muttered.

"Oh dear, that's…"

"It's the truth!" He looked at her with a pained expression. "Yes, Gaius took the diary, but if I didn't have it in my possession, it wouldn't have been there for him to take to begin with. If the events that lead up to it being… never mind." He sighed. "Narcissa? I think it might be time for Draco to establish his own vault in Gringotts."

"But why can't he simple use… Lucius!" She drew closer to him. "You can't be…"

"I don't know what's going to happen, Narcissa. But better to be safe than sorry. And better if you do it than I. It will look less… you were never so close to the more disturbing aspects of what we did and you are his mother. And I am sorry."

"It was that bad?" She finally whispered.

"I don't know what to do anymore, Narcissa," he admitted. "And I am increasingly afraid of what I might have to do in order to protect us all. It feels so useless, but all I can do is offer my sincere regret for whatever might transpire."

Narcissa sat on the arm of the plush chair in which Lucius was slumped. "Lucius." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "I understood what burden I would be accepting when I married you. I never lost faith in you then and I will not now. All I ask, all I have ever wanted of your and of me is that we stay together. We have one another and, so long as we can preserve that, I will not question the course you take."

"I love you," he murmured, looking up at her. "You know that."

"Of course, darling." She smiled. "How could you not?" Leaning down, she kissed him. "Whatever we must do, family first," she whispered into his ear.

"Family first," he agreed.

OOO

_It is dead! There can be no doubt now. _

_Then the choice was well made. He deserved all that was granted to him._

_When will…_

_That is not up to us. _

_I felt it, that evening. I felt it! _

_What must we do now? _

_All that we can. _

OOO


	33. Kreacher's Tale

~*~

"Well Remus, I must say that I'm impressed with what you've done with the place. It looks absolutely spectacular. And I'm not just saying that to tease you. I am really, genuinely impressed." He glanced around at the lights edging the windows, the holly that covered the shelves and the various snowman and Santa shaped knickknacks covering the various normally vacant surfaces.

"I've had a lot of time to do it in," Remus said as he set out a place of gingerbread cookies. "Seeing as it's growing more and more impossible to get a job. Have you heard about that new legislation?"

Sirius nodded, a grave look on his face.

"What legislation?" Draco asked with a mouth full of cookie.

"Don't you ever read the Prophet?" Theodore asked.

"It's a rag," Draco sniffed.

"Well it does have some uses." He delicately dipped his own cookie into a mug of cocoa. "Dolores Umbridge has been trying to push through anti-werewolf legislation that would make it harder for people like Remus to find employment."

"Harder?" Remus scoffed. "Try _impossible_. I can understand the need for disclosure of the condition for those with jobs that would make it relevant. But this goes far beyond that," he said with a shake of his head. "This is outright prejudice, designed to make us complete second class citizens. The need for safety is only a guise for hatred."

"Have the measures actually been passed?" Ginny asked as she reached for a couple of cookies.

"Not yet. But as I understand it, they have a great deal of support." Remus gave him a sad smile. "I'm afraid I don't have much hope of them failing and little still of getting a job if they do."

"Well don't give up yet," Harry urged, taking a sip of his hot chocolate. "I mean, as long as there's time, there's hope, right?"

"Fair enough," Remus admitted. "But without any serious opposition…"

"I'll talk to my dad," Draco interrupted.

"Your father?" Sirius looked at him. "You don't think he'd…"

"I'll ask him." He gulped and swallowed more cookie. "It couldn't hurt. Make it an additional Christmas present or something."

"Thank you Draco," Remus said politely. "I do appreciate it." He exchanged a look with Sirius and Draco frowned.

"Well maybe he will!" The boy frowned. "Maybe."

"So do you know anything about what you're getting for Christmas?" Harry asked in an effort to change the rather awkward subject.

"I can promise you he's getting a sweater. We all are, as usual," Ginny said as she finished draining her mug. "I snuck into Mum's room the other day and took a peak. Want to know what they look like?"

"I'd like mine to be a surprise, but thanks," said Theo with a smile.

"Maybe a hint?" Harry said, biting the leg off another gingerbread man.

"You can just tell me," Draco grinned.

"Hmm. A hint. Well, alright. Your sweater has red in it," Ginny said with a grin.

"And mine?" Draco asked impatiently.

"You're getting a black sweater with a yellow dragon in the center of it. At least I think it's a dragon. Bit lumpy and hard to tell," she smirked. "But I'm 87 percent sure that it's a dragon."

He nodded appreciatively. "Well at least that's one gift I know of. No idea about any others though. Mum had been pretty tight-lipped this year and I haven't really had the time to go snooping, especially since I was Petrified until a short while ago. Not that I'm blaming anybody," he added quickly when he saw the look on Theo's face.

"I don't know for sure, but I think it would be a fairly safe prediction to say I'm not going to get anything from the Dursleys," Harry said. "Nothing or something that's worth next to nothing."

"That's why you've got me," Sirius said, clapping him on the shoulder. "But it's going to have to be a surprise," he told his godson with a wink.

Further conversation was interrupted by a series of angry thumps coming from upstairs.

"Kreacher," Sirius glowered.

"He's usually pretty quiet," said Remus with a blush. "Stays out of the way. He doesn't much care for me but he isn't _very_ malicious. The hols seem to put him in a bad mood for some reason, though."

"I'm going to go up to talk to him," Draco said, picking up the plate of cookies.

"If you like," Sirius shrugged. "Think it's a lost cause, though."

"Still," Draco said and left it at that.

While the rest of the group continued to chatter in the kitchen, Draco worked his way up the creaky stairs. There was no sign of the dust and grime that used to plague the stairway and everything was bound with tinsel and loops of holly, but the house still showed its age. Balancing the cookies and a cup of milk, he wound his way to the room where he guessed Kreacher was going to be.

"Kreacher?" He rapped on the door to what used to be Regulus' room. "Can I come in?"

There was a grumbling noise but the door swung open a moment later. "Only for a Black," he muttered.

"I brought you these," Draco said, holding out the cookies and milk. Kreacher took then and sat down on the bed with them while Draco stepped in. "You were really fond of Regulus, weren't you?" Kreacher only glared at him and munched a cookie. "Is that why you're so upset at the holidays? Because you miss him?"

"Master Regulus was very good to Kreacher," the elf said stiffly and Draco nodded.

"He was a very good Seeker, wasn't he?"

Kreacher nodded feverishly, spilling cookie crumbs on the neatly pressed bedspread. "Master Regulus was very good. Master Regulus could have played for a professional team but…"

"The war?" Draco whispered, seeing a brief tear in the elf's eye. Another curt nod and the elf fell silent. Draco allowed his eyes to wander all around the room, seeing all of the yellowed clippings and photographs of the dark-haired boy. "Did you do all of this?"

"Yes! Because Master Regulus should not be… _I_ will remember Master Regulus!"

"Remember him?" Draco asked softly. "What did he do? If it's too hard you don't have to tell me, but if you want to talk about it…"

Kreacher's long, thin fingers clutched Draco's robe and he started to sob.

~*~

"…Cho will probably be our Seeker again, and Fred and George have really been pushing me to go out for Beater, but I'm not sure…"

"Everybody!" Draco interrupted Ginny mid-sentence with a shout as he tumbled down the stairs and threw a heavy object onto the kitch table with a clunk. "We need to get to Hogwarts, now," he gasped.

"Get to Hogwarts?" Harry looked at him. "What's the matter? You're all flushed!"

"Regulus!" He panted. "Sirius… your… Regulus, you… he _wasn't_… he died…"

"I know he died," Sirius said. "Years ago. Got in a little too deep. What's that got to do with…"

"He turned!" Draco burst out. "He _turned_ and… and… that…" He pointed towards the object.

"What is it?" Nott asked and reached for the object, a heavy silver locket.

"Don't touch it!" Draco screamed and everybody froze. "Don't touch it. It's not safe. It's another one of those… it's… we have to destroy it."

"Draco," Sirius said, putting down his mug and walking over to the boy, "what on earth is going on?"

"Kreacher!" Draco screamed. "Kreacher, please come down here." The elf popped next to his side. "Kreacher, tell them what you told me. About Regulus. Tell them all of it. They have to know. _Please_."

"If Master Draco wishes…"

"Please, you have to," he begged.

Uncertain, the elf shuffled forward and launched into a lengthy tale that left the whole table silent and Sirius pale.

"Reggie?" He murmured. "He was… Oh God," he whispered, his eyes shining. "All these years, all this time I've been…" He turned away.

"He wanted it destroyed," Draco said firmly. "That was his wish. And right now, I know of only one thing that can do it." He looked at Harry. "Think you're ready for another trip into the Chamber?"

"If it means getting rid of something that dark? Definitely," Harry nodded. "Even if it's not a Horcrux, it sounds like something that should be gotten rid of."

"I tried," Kreacher mumbled. "Tried to follow Master Regulus' orders…"

"I know," Draco said consolingly. "I know. Not your fault. But we need to do something about it before it hurts somebody like that diary hurt Theodore."

"Let's not waste time them. If we Floo there and hurry, we can get back to your house in time for dinner," Harry told Draco.

"Actually – Draco, I have an idea. As long as we're gong down into the Chamber, why don't you try to get that sword that fell out of your hat from your father?" Nott asked.

"Why the sword?" Ginny asked.

"I've been doing a little research on the weapons. Well, at least I tried before we left Hogwarts. If I'm not mistaken, it's a goblin-made sword. Which it turn means that it should have some very interesting properties that I would like to test out. I'll have to grab a pair of dragon's hide gloves from the Weasley's though."

"Right then. I'll go get the sword, you get the gloves, and then we all head to Hogwarts and meet up in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom?"

"Sounds good to me," said Ginny with a nod.

"And Kreacher, if it's not too much trouble, would you accompany us and carry the locket?" Draco asked. "You seem to be resistant to its effects. I'm worried that if any of us try, it will hurt us."

The elf nodded eagerly, his long ears flapping. "Anything for Master Regulus' final wish."

~*~

"This place isn't any less creepy the second time around," Ginny murmured, looking at the carvings on the side.

"Yeah, but at least this time we know the snake is dead," Harry replied, holding his glowing wand with one hand and the sword with the other. "Otherwise I'd be a lot more nervous."

"And you're sure that there will still be basilisk venom?" Sirius asked Draco.

"Should be. That stuff is very potent and doesn't dry up for a very long time," he said. "Should be more than enough to destroy that thing and test out Theo's theory with the sword."

"Keep in mind that we will have to be very careful with the sword once the venom becomes a part of it. Accidental cuts with it could poison the user just as easily."

"I'll try not to run through the house with it," Harry teased.

"I'm serious!" Theo frowned.

"I know, I know. I'll be careful. I promise. Now I need to focus…" He hissed and the doors creaked open for them.

"Still can't figure out how we brought her down," said Draco, shaking his head when they saw the basilisk corpse.

"Well you were the ones who did it," Ginny laughed. "If you don't know, who would?"

"So long as it's dead, I don't care how it got done," Harry replied. "Alright, got the sword. What should I do now?"

"Set it down next to that fang," Theo said, pointing then pulling on the gloves. "Good. Like that." He took the fang and stabled it into the sword.

"Is it working?" Draco asked, looking on.

"I think so. There was a brief flow of venom but I don't see any on the floor, so I think it's safe to assume that the sword has absorbed it." He pushed the snake's head aside and carefully picked up the sword by the handle. "Only one way to know for sure though. Who would like to do the honors?"

The kids looked at each other nervously.

"I'm guessing the locket won't like being attacked, will it?" Ginny asked. "I mean, Riddle's soul seemed pretty agitated at attempts to destroy him."

"Wouldn't be fair to demand one of us do it about another," Harry mused. "Maybe we should draw straws?"

"I'll do it," Sirius broke in. "I'm the adult here. If there danger I should be the one to face it. Not that I think you're incapable, but I don't think you should _have_ to." He took the sword from Theodore. "I'll bear the responsibility before I sit by and let any of you put yourselves in harm's way. Kreacher?" He looked abashedly at the elf. "Please put it on the ground in front of me."

Silently, Kreacher took the item out of his pocket and set it carefully down. Sirius took a deep breath and marched up towards the heavy locket, and lifted the sword about his head. He brought it down with a furious clang, but the locket by all accounts seemed unharmed.

"Maybe I was wrong," Theo whispered. "Maybe the sword didn't…"

"It has to be opened," Harry murmured, entranced by the emerald 'S' on the cover.

"What?" Ginny looked at him.

"It's a locket. To make it vulnerable it has to be open," he said, hissing the last.

The locket sprang open and a smoky apparition floated out and formed into…

"Remus?" Sirius whispered.

_They didn't believe you. Didn't trust your innocence. Everybody you thought were your friends, they never stood up for you, never saw to it that you had a fair trial. As far as they were concerned you could have rotted in there, died in there, you would be in there still…_

"It's a trap, Sirius!" Draco called out. "Stab it!"

"Don't listen to it!" Harry echoed. "Use the sword! Don't let it sway you!"

Sirius was still as the smoke reached closer and closer, taking the shape of James Potter.

…_and you couldn't even save me! I trusted you and you let me down, let my family down, made Harry into an orphan. And you couldn't control your adolescent anger, went after Peter right into a trap instead of keeping your head and explaining everything, allowed Harry to go off to those miserable in-laws of mine…_

"Hurry up!" Ginny called out. "Should we do something?" She looked at the others.

"I'm not sure it's safe to try and get the sword away!" Theo murmured.

"Fight it, Sirius!" Draco screamed louder. "We love you, your friends love you, that thing is full of it, don't listen and just smash it!"

Peter formed last of all, twisting his hands, twitching and laughing.

_To think that I defeated you, fooled you, sent you to that prison in my stead! I, dumpy little Peter! The one you always mocked while we were in school the one you never took seriously, I got the better of you in the end, didn't I? I got…_

"Sod off," Sirius growled and stabbed the open locket.

There was a flash of red light and a splitting sound, and then all was still. Sirius turned around and gave them all a lopsided grin.

"Two down," he laughed. "Now let's hurry up and get home before somebody finds us here or we miss dinner." He mussed Draco's hair as he walked back. "Your mother is making roast tonight and I fully expect you to slip me some underneath the table."

~*~

One, created so long ago, was not easily felt. Two would have been slightly more noticeable. But two Horcuxes within less than a week and Voldemort, disembodied though he was, could feel the reverberations. And he was _furious_. Peter Pettigrew quivered at the shadows in the forest he was hiding in, his master's rage a blanket all around him.

_Fool! Idiot! I have had enough waiting. _

"I am sorry, my lord!" He stammered. "What pains you? What is it?"

_They are finding them! Finding them and… I must get to her. You will help me._

"Her who? Who do you need?"

_A better servant than you, a loyal and competent servant. _

"Where is it you need me to go master?" He asked, resigned.

_Azkaban. We will head to Azkaban. _

"Azkaban?" Peter paled. "The wizard prison? The one with all the Dementors?"

_Don't be daft. Of course that Azkaban. I do not care what havoc you cause there or what damage is done. But you are to bring, in your Animagus form, a wand to one of my finest supporters. Get her the wand and she will do the rest herself._

"Her who? And where will I get a wand?"

_Use your brains for the wand. Steal one from a store or a wizard or however, I don't care! So long as you get it to Bellatrix Black, she will be more than able to do the rest herself._

"And getting to Azkaban?" He squeaked. "I can't well fly there and from down here it would take months to travel up…"

_Then you had best brace yourself for a journey. Now enough. Your whining sickens me. I want results before they succeed in finding them all! _

Still unsure of what was going on, Peter felt silent, berating himself for the life he'd chosen but without the strength to break free from it.

~*~

"Just in time!" Narcissa smiled, setting the roast on the table just as Draco and Harry walked into the dining room with Dragon at their heels. "I was beginning to worry that you two were having too much fun out and about and here's going to make it back."

"Always make it back for your cooking, mum," Draco said with a grin and Dragon barked.

"So did you two get up to anything interesting today?" Lucius asked as he served himself some vegetables.

"Oh, this and that," Draco said with a shrug. "A little exploring, a little shopping."

"Just hanging out," Harry agreed.

"Well, tomorrow is Christmas Eve so it should be a little more exciting," Narcissa smiled. "Potatoes?"

"Yes, please," said Harry, taking the bowl from her.

~*~

A/N: One more chapter as I continue my posting frenzy in honor of my eighth year on this site. You got a few more big events this chapter including the set up for the upcoming year. Only a few more of those to go and we'll soon be coming up on the third year! More on that as this story draws to a close. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and as always, comments, criticisms, suggestions, rambling and whatever else you'd like to put in a review are welcome. :)


	34. Christmas Surprises

~*~

By the time Harry woke up on Christmas morning, Draco was already dressed in his latest Weasley-knit sweater and was rummaging around the kitchen for cookies, a cup of cocoa in hand.

"Morning!" He grinned from ear to ear. "Want some gingerbread? A sugar cookie? Short bread? Macaroons?"

"Toast sounds good," Harry retorted. "And maybe some bacon."

Draco rolled his eyes. "You'll have to wait for mum, then. Or wake one of the house elves up."

"That's fine." Harry sat down at the table. "Have you opened up any more of your presents yet?"

"No. I'm waiting for my parents to wake up. I only opened up this one because I knew what it was. And I was cold. Oh! It came with fudge. And peanut brittle. Do you want some?"

"After breakfast," said Harry, stifling another yawn. "I might go back to bed."

"It's already five in the morning!"

"Exactly."

"You are boring." Draco sighed impatiently as he finished off the mug of cocoa. "Well I'm going out for an early morning ride to greet the sun. You're welcome to join me if you like, but if not, let my parents know where I've gone so I don't have to leave a note."

"I think I'm just fine staying here," Harry smiled. "I like your thestrals, but not enough to go riding in the dead of winter at an insanely early hour of the morning."

"It is not the dead of winter - the solstice was only a few days ago - and it's not that early!" He seemed exasperated. "Where is your sense of adventure?"

"Attempting to go back to sleep," he yawned. "I need the rest, don't you?"

"No! I got plenty of rest while I was Petrified, I certainly don't need more. Especially not on Christmas day when there's so much to do!" He stood up. "Now I'm getting dressed and I'll count on you to let my parents know where I'm at. Alright?"

"Okay, sure. I'll be here." Harry made a cup of hot chocolate for himself then went to the tree to begin examining packages. After Draco left, it was a long while before he heard the sounds of another human presence. When he finally did hear footsteps behind him, he jumped.

"I see you've found the presents," Lucius remarked, looking down at Harry with a package in hand.

"Oh! Good morning Mr. Malfoy." Harry nodded and quickly replaced the package beneath the tree. "Sorry, I was only looking."

"Don't apologize for that. A little curiosity on Christmas is natural." Lucius sat beside him. "I don't suppose you know where my son has run off to? I already checked in his room and he wasn't there."

"Draco said to tell you and Mrs. Malfoy that he went out for a morning ride, but that he would be back soon."

"Ah. I should have know." Lucius laughed. "Where else would he be?" He looked to the side and picked up a piece of paper. "I notice he already opened something."

"Mrs. Weasley's sweater," Harry said nervously. "He already knew what it was going to look like and he said he was cold."

"Well then I suppose he should be glad he got a sweater," Lucius replied in a neutral tone that was hard for Harry to read. "I suppose you'll be getting one too?"

"Probably," he admitted, but Lucius only nodded.

"I don't want to keep you from getting to see what you got, then. I'll see if Narcissa is up yet." He stood. "Did you and Draco eat breakfast before he left?"

"I didn't. I just had a mug of hot chocolate. Draco had a bunch of cookies, though."

"Of course he did," Lucius sighed. "Alright then, we'll see if Narcissa up and we'll see if the elves can't get about making a nice, large breakfast for us. I'm sure Draco will be rather hungry when he gets back anyway."

He was, charing in through the door with a face as red as the ribbons on the front door wreath.

"I smell breakfast!" He declared as he pulled of his gloves. "I hope there's a lot, because I'm starving."

"Perhaps if you ate _before _getting up to your activities..." His father intoned.

"I ate!" He sat down with a thump, grabbed a plate and started filling it. "Didn't Harry tell you?"

"You shouldn't eat sweets first thing," his mother scolded in a light-hearted fashion. "It's not good for you."

"Your cookies are always good, though," he complimented with a beaming grin that made her roll her eyes. "Can we open presents after this?"

"They're ready and waiting," said Lucius, pouring milk into his coffee.

"And what are we going to do afterward? Sledding maybe?" Draco suggested.

"You may do as you please. I have some business to attend to," he said.

"Lucius!" Narcissa looked up from her tea. "On Christmas? Why didn't I know about this?"

"It came up suddenly. I won't be leaving, but I do have to make plans to leave. I'm sorry," he apologized. "But it really is urgent."

"Since you mentioned urgent business," Draco began with a glance at Harry, "I've got a favor to ask."

"Which is?"

"I mean, if you want think of it as a Christmas present. Maybe Christmas and birthday combined, I don't mind. If it's a lot of work, I understand, but I would really..."

"Come to the point," Lucius interrupted, though more bemused than impatient. "I'm listening."

"Could you oppose Dolores Umbridge and her anti-werewolf legislation?"

For a moment, his parents fell silent and glanced at each other. Then Narcissa laughed nervously.

"Draco, why are you worried about something like that? Don't you think politics is a little bit deep for someone your age? Besides," she said, nibbling at her food, "why are you worried about werewolves? You don't have any reason to be do you?" The anxiety in her voice grew. "You haven't run into anything tromping about the woods again, have you? Oh God, tell me you're not _infected_..."

"I'm fine mom!" He looked from her to his father. "But I don't think what she's doing is right. It's not fair. And somebody should say something."

"Not fair?" Lucius asked tersely. "I wonder that a boy not even in his teens has a very good grasp of fairness. And you think I should be the one to oppose her?" He scoffed. "Do tell me, why the sudden interest in werewolf plights?"

"I mean, I'm not a werewolf, but it's something that could happen to anybody, couldn't it? And it wouldn't be their fault. And it doesn't mean they're automatically a bad wizard. Plus isn't there that new wolfsbane potion? It could be controlled, nobody would be in danger! It's not _right _what she's doing," he pressed. "Please?"

There was another silence, this one ended by Narcissa clearing her throat.

"Let's not let this ruin Christmas. Draco, leave the politics to your father for now. I'm sure he'll do what's best."

Draco sighed in frustration and went back to his plate, hoping the holiday would cheer him up but feeling like he'd failed.

"At least you tried," Harry whispered to him when they cleared off the table.

"Not hard enough."

Harry didn't think anything Draco could have said would have convinced Lucius, but he kept quiet and returned to the tree.

~*~

"Do you like it?" Ginny helped Theo pull on his sweater as they sat near the tree. "I thought the yarn for yours was especially pretty."

"All of your mother's sweaters are pretty. But I do appreciate it," he said in a quiet voice.

"You're thinking about something, aren't you?" Ginny said plaintively. "You have a far away look right now. What's wrong?"

"I'm only pondering."

"About that locket?" She asked, tugging on the cuffs of her own sweater. "We all did a good job destroying it. No need to worry."

"But it confirms the hypothesis that there are more out there."

"And you want to go out looking for them?"

"Perhaps not right now, but eventually..."

"Well alright then." She stood up. "If we're going to try and find these things, we should go about doing it properly, shouldn't we?"

"What do you mean?"

"It's like a Sherlock Holmes story! We need to collect clues and evidence to figure out what he would have done with the other Horcruxes. And if we're going to be gathering clues, we should keep track of them, right?" She dug through her pile of presents. "Here, Percy got me this." She help up a leather volume. "Blank inside with really nice paper. A very Percy gift. We can write what we know inside and keep track of things that way. And maybe if we look over the evidence enough, we'll find something."

"I know what we could write first. An address."

"An address? From what?"

"It was inside the diary, the address of a stationary shop on Vauxhall road. It might lead us to places he visited in his muggle life. And if we retrace his path, we should hopefully find hints about what was important enough to him to make into a Horcrux and the path he took along the way."

"Alright then." Ginny went into another room and came back with a quill. "Write it down. What else is important? I mean, if you don't want to remember, it if hurts..."

"No, no," he protested as he scribbled. "But isn't there any other way you would rather spend Christmas?"

"Fred and George are gone doing something with Lee and Milli, Percy is Percy, mum is cooking, dad's messing with that car... besides, I think a mystery is exciting!" She grinned. "I think it's fun, like a game except in real life."

"It's much more serious than a game," he cautioned. "But very well."

"So what else did you pick up?"

"As I said, ceremony is important to him. Unless necessity forced him to pick a Horcrux and a murder at random in the interests of self-preservation, he would have been very deliberate about the murders and the objects chosen. They would have to be important, symbolic, not just any killing."

Ginny nodded. "Alright. So what was so special about Myrtle?"

"She was the first kill with the Basilisk. Possibly the first murder he ever committed, although I wouldn't be willing to say for certain. Same with the diary. Probably a matter of firsts - the first Dark Object he learned how to make and a symbol of himself."

"And the locket?"

"That I'm even less sure about. The locket's importance is almost self-evident if the exterior is genuine. Those were real emeralds unless I'm mistaken and the 'S' suggests Slytherin himself."

"You think that actually _belonged _to Salazar Slytherin?"

"It's a distinct possibility."

"But wouldn't people keep track of something like that? Like they do with famous paintings? Stuff that belonged to people that famous can't just disappear!"

"Oh, but it does all the time, even with your example of a famous painting. It gets stolen or sold in underhanded deals, passed down for a while before getting traded off again, and so on and so forth. And if somebody who had it didn't know what it was, it would remain even more overlooked. Something like that could travel quite far and go inconspicuously. The question is how did Riddle track it down. You are right though - a piece that famous and there might be some history on it. Certainly worthwhile to look."

"And the murder needed to make it?" She whispered.

"I don't know. Kreacher spoke of some sort of cave. That wouldn't have been random either. We might have to have him take us there."

"But there are Inferi!" Ginny gasped. "They'd still be there, wouldn't they?"

"Yes. But if we don't go in the water we should be fine. Besides," he smirked, "weren't you eager for adventure?"

Ginny punched his arm and scowled. "I'm not afraid! I'm only being sensible."

"You're right; I ought not tease you about that," he whispered. "I wouldn't really want to face them. Not after everything. And if Riddle made them I can only imagine what they look like, who they were..." He shook his head. "So those are the ones we know about. Any other ideas?"

"Maybe we could work from the other end of things," Ginny suggested. "You know, instead of stumbling on the Horcrux by looking at places where he might have been, we could think of objects or killings that would have been important to him and work from there."

"An excellent idea. You _are _a Ravenclaw," he murmured and she beamed at the praise. "Alright, let's think. The locket was Slytherins which would have been important to him as a symbol of his house. But it's possible he would have wanted objects from the other founders as well. A metaphorical conquering of Hogwarts if you will."

"You really think so?"

"Second to Harry, he was obsessed with the school. He wanted to know how he'd been defeated - and he wanted the school under a pall of fear again, fear created by him. He wants it under his thrall very badly because... for him, it's about control. Control me, control others, control politics, control our world. Education is a sure, if not swift, way to do that, to indoctrinate people into accepting that control."

"He couldn't take Hogwarts," she whispered.

"He could _try_ and do a lot of damage in the process. First things first, though. The other founders - we should research them."

"Well, he didn't get that sword that belong to Gryffindor. We have that. And I'm pretty sure it was never touched by him."

"True. But we don't know what the other founders might have had."

"There's got to be a book or catalog or something."

"We'll hit the history section of the library as soon as we get back."

"And what about the murders? Who was important to him apart from Myrtle?"

"We can look at those records as well. Leaders, personal enemies, people who significantly opposed him, etcetera. It might be harder to tell if his vendetta was personal but it's a place to start."

"People who opposed him? Theo, you don't think that maybe Harry's parents were supposed..."

"Kids!" Mrs. Weasley poked her head into the room and Theo slammed the book shut. "Dinner's ready, come and eat!"

"Are Fred and George back yet?" Ginny stood up.

"Fred and George will be occupied removing _without magic_ all of the ribbon-decked toilet seats they used to replace the Christmas wreaths in town and writing apologies."

Theo and Ginny stifled a laugh as they followed her into the warm kitchen where Percy and Mr. Weasley were already waiting.

"Maybe we should have gone with them instead," Ginny whispered. "I would have loved to have seen that."

"Yes, but then we would have been stuck with the clean-up as well."

~*~

"What do you think? I had it made custom." Pansy smiled.

Ron nodded; he'd assumed she had as he didn't think they made ornaments that looked like him, dressed in Quidditch robes and grabbing a Snitch. "It's really... _wow_."

"Let's put it on the tree!" She clapped. "That way it will look like you're flying in front of the Forbidden Forest!"

Standing up, he dutifully hung the ornament and watched it swing slightly, adding to the illusion of flight.

"It's really detailed," he said studying it. "I mean, _really _detailed."

"Right down to the freckles," she said, poking it so that it swayed again. "And when we win the championship this year, maybe I'll have another one made of you hoisting up the cup or something."

Ron blushed and looked away, unsure of how to reply. "Well, I'll try, you know, doing my best," he stammered. "S, uh, do you wanna open any other presents? Or eat! We could eat. Is dinner ready? Or do you have any more of that Turkish delight?"

"We stocked up just for you," she told him with a wink, standing up and moving into another room. "It's on a plate in here!" She called.

"Okay." He stood and started to follow her. But just as he was about to enter the dining room, Pansy slammed into his chest and grabbed the material of his robes."What?" He looked panicked. "Did I forget something or do something wrong?"

"Look up," she told him.

He did and saw a clump of green with white berries. There was a pressure on his cheek, soft and warm, and by the time he realized he'd been kissed it was over. Red as a beet, he looked back down into the room and saw Pansy standing in front of him, a smirk on her face and a plate in her hand.

"Here's your Turkish delight," she said, passing him the plate before sauntering off and leaving him speechless.

~*~

A/N: Happy Holidays everybody. :) And I hope you have a wonderful New Year.


	35. As Expected

~*~

"Draco? You're being awfully quiet." Ginny drummed her fingers against the cover of her journal. Harry and Draco were over but neither seemed to be his normal self. "I thought you would be all excited by this idea. You're the one who's always wanting to get into scrapes. Is something the matter?"

"Nothing's the matter." He stood up. "I think I'm going to get some more of your mom's cookies."

"What's really wrong?" She whispered to Harry as soon as Draco left.

"He's upset about his father. Mr. Malfoy wouldn't do anything about Umbridge and Draco's been in a funk about that all day."

"Well that's a surprise," Ginny said sourly. "He should have seen that coming."

"Just because you see it coming doesn't make it any more disappointing," Theo observed. "Although I question how far along Draco will be able to go with our little plan, or anything else, without running into a severe contradiction of feelings."

"Maybe going out would help to cheer him up. We could go to Vauxhall," Harry offered. "And there should be lots of shops along the way that would interest him and you."

"Better to go on a day when everything won't be closed. It's Christmas, remember?" Theo grabbed the book from Ginny, paged through it and sighed. "I don't know. Maybe this won't lead anywhere. I don't think we have enough clues or the ability to get them. How can we get information from people about a man we barely know? I remember some, but not much and faces don't always have names attached, which means they're of little help. And how will we explain ourselves when people find out we've been asking questions?"

"And you were doing so well, getting up to something," Ginny sighed. "Don't let being reasonable snow on our parade. Keep doing that and you'll get to be like Hermione."

Draco stepped back into the room looking sullen before Theo could retort or Harry could intervene. "Sorry I haven't been much company," he muttered. "My dad put me in a bit of a bad mood. I think I'm going to take off, alright?"

"Back to your place?" Harry wondered.

"No, I think I'm going to drop by Cedric's unless he's tied up with family. He told me I could visit over the break and I could use a talk with him."

"Well alright, but you're welcome back anytime if Cedric is busy," Ginny reminded him as he walked out the door. "Don't get stuck in any snow drifts on the way!"

"I'll be fine!" They could hear a snort and a rapid set of hoofbeats.

"He won't be," Harry shook his head. "Not for at least another day."

"Let him ride, it always helps him blow off steam." Theo took a sip from his cocoa. "He probably won't even make it to Cedric's and if he does, he probably won't stay long."

"What do you think he's really going to do?" Ginny wondered between bites of cookie.

"Knowing Draco he'll probably take off and spend some time alone in the woods. Maybe play with Fluffy a little and then come back, same as always."

"Well I hope he stays warm," Ginny fretted.

"In your mother's sweater?" Theo smiled. "I'm sure he will be."

~*~

"You go ahead back, Fred. I'll get the last one."

Fred looked at his twin warily. "Why? What are you up to? What do you want in return?"

"Nothing, you goose," George laughed, although it didn't sound entirely natural. "Can't a boy do something for his brother?"

"Not a brother like you. Really, what's this about?" He crossed his arms. "I'm not doing your share of the chores if that's what you're about."

"Consider it a Christmas gift then. Alright?"

"Fine. But I know you're up to something and I'm going to figure it out." He poked his brother in the chest with his mittened hand. "Count on it."

"Later, Fred!" George laughed.

He waited until Fred was out of sight, then walked down the street towards the last house. He's almost reached it when a figure stepped out of the lane beside it.

"Got your owl, obviously. Been waiting there almost half and hour, freezing my toes off. Finally convinced him to part ways?" Millicent asked.

"Sorry about that. We took a little longer than I thought. But it didn't take much. to get him to go back. He's freezing too and wants to be back inside as much as anybody."

"I would have helped, you know. I helped you to do the prank."

"Mum was on a tear. She would have probably been more upset if we had help cleaning up our mess. And I wouldn't have wanted you to do it anyway."

"Why?" She scoffed. "Think I'm too much of a lady? I was the one who got those toilets for you, if you remember. I should have done my part and helped get them back."

"Lee helped too and he ran off without a second thought. Anyway, I wanted to give you this, alright?" He took a package out from under his coat and pushed it into her hands.

"A present? For me?" He cheeks were already red from the cold, but they grew ruddier.

"Don't thank me too much. Mum makes them for a lot of our friends. I mean, not that it _isn't _special, she puts a lot of work into them. I asked her to," he explained as he walked up onto the porch to take back the toilet seat and took the wreath out from behind a bush, replacing it on its rightful hanger. "So it's sort of from me but Mom was really the one who made it. Does that make sense?"

"Shut up," she laughed and tore at the paper. She let the wrapping fall to the ground as she held the sweater out by its shoulders to get a better look at it. "What's that in the middle?"

"An S. Or a snake. I can't really tell. But it's for Slytherin. And it's sparkly. Sparkly is good, right?"

"If you're a girly girl," she huffed. George looked like he'd been kicked in the stomach, so she laughed and punched him in the shoulder. "Only kidding. It's nice. Did Lee get one?"

"No." He looked puzzled. "Why would Lee get one? I mean, I guess we could always give him Ron's. Mum makes one every year but the last couple have come back. I think she's daft for doing it, but she insists."

"Well Ron's a bit of a prick, even if he is in my house. Maybe because he's in my house. Funny how that works out." She balled up the sweater and held it in her arms. "Thanks George, but I think I have to head home now. If I get my boots off and my toes have frozen clean through, I'll hold you responsible. And you know what that means."

"A kick to the unmentionables?" He tried to smile through his worry.

"That's right. See you later!" She waved, then headed back to where she'd left her broom.

George ran back home, kicking up snow all the way, and was red and breathless when he burst through the door.

"Where have you been?" Mrs. Weasley asked while measuring sugar.

"Nowhere," he puffed.

"Well Harry and that lot are visiting and I'm making a fresh pot of cocoa, so you'll be able to warm yourself up with a mug in a minute. Did you get all those toilets?"

"Yes, mum."

"Good." She poured in the milk and melted chocolate mixture. "And I'd better never catch you doing that again."

"You won't, mum," he promised, heading upstairs to change and peeling off damp garments as he went along.

~*~

"Is Cedric home?" Draco blurted his question the moment the door was opened.

"Draco!" Mr. Diggory boomed although he looked a little shocked. "Cedric said that you might be coming by! Of course, of course, come on it." He gave Draco a vigorous push into the hallway of their cottage. "The missus and I are just cleaning up after the morning's festivities. Guess you got out of that, right?" He nudged Draco's chest.

"Uh, yeah," Draco murmured, ashamed to tell him that they had house elves that usually cleaned up after any type of feast or celebration. "How is Cedric?"

"Well why don't you see for yourself?" He said, guiding Draco to the bottom of a set of stairs. "Cedric! You've got company!" He shouted up the stairwell. "It's the Malfoy boy!"

"Don't shout, dear!" His wife's voice scolded from the kitchen.

Any reply he was about to make got cut off by the sound of footfalls rapidly coming down the stairs. "Draco! You came over!"

"Don't run in the house either, Cedric!" The mother's voice floated in a second time. "You sound like a herd of elephants!"

"Sorry, mum!" He took Draco's hand. "You want to come see my room?"

"Yeah!" Draco managed a smile and followed him carefully up the steps. There were pictures over almost every inch of wallpaper on the way up and he glanced at them, each moving to its own rhythm. There were people laughing, wandering in and out of frames, leaning over and passing objects, a symphony of movement that covered the wall.

"Right here. I brought my presents up already if you want to see." He laughed. "But if you don't want me to bore you with that, I understand."

"No, I want to see!" Draco protested. "I'd love to. Did you get everything you wanted? Are you feeling better?"

"Loads. Better than ever, even. You are too I hope?"

"What? Oh. Yeah."

"My uncle gave me this cauldron, which is good because the last one I had was a little bit small. Practical, but I needed it. And my cousins got me these book son Quidditch. A few broom tools, tons of sweets, of course, and... Draco, what's wrong?"

"Huh? Nothing." He shook his head and forced himself to smile. "I'm alright."

"You don't have to lie Draco. What's really the matter? You know you can talk to me."

Draco hunched his shoulders. "Cedric, do you think I'm a bad person?"

"What? Don't be silly, you're one of the best, bravest people I know. You'd fit right in with Gryffindor if you had to."

"And my family? Are they bad people?" He looked at Cedric with dull, hurt eyes. Then he got up. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come over, bothering you with things like this on the holidays. I'll go."

"Sit back down," Cedric told him firmly. "You're in my house and you're my friend. If you need someone to talk to, that's what I'm here for. Even on the holidays. Did something happen?"

"It's my dad. He's not a bad person! Really he's not, he loves me I know he does!" Draco kept his voice low so that it wouldn't drift down to Cedric's parents. "But he does bad things, sometimes. And I don't know if I can trust him."

"We all make bad choices. Maybe what you need to do is set a good example so that you're dad understands he doesn't have to keep doing what he's been doing," Cedric suggested. "And I think there's someone else you need to talk to." He reached across the night stand and grabbed a card. "When I was about your age, there was a girl at Hogwarts a couple of years above me and we got along smashingly. She was there when I needed an ear or messed something up or got into trouble - even if all she did was help me get into more. And I think maybe you should talk to her."

"Why? What would she know about this sort of thing? I trust you Ced, but this sounds a little dodgy." He looked at the card skeptically.

"She's a good friend to me. But she's also your cousin, Tonks."

"What? Cousin? I don't have a cousin named Tonks."

"Well, her real name is Nymphadora, but she never goes by that. And she'll probably deck you if you call her by that name, so I wouldn't advise it. Her mother Andromeda is your mother's sister. She's not the crazy locked up one, she's the other one."

"The one we don't talk about," said Draco flatly.

"Yes, Tonks told me about that once. Something about a tapestry?"

Draco felt a slight stab of guilt as thought back to the large piece of fabric in Sirius' home and the various burnt holes scattered across it. Something else his family did that he hated but couldn't talk about or change. "Yeah, I think I know who she is now." He took the card and opened it up. "Says she wants to catch up on old times."

"Why don't I send her an owl and arrange for lunch. You can come along and when we meet up, I'll introduce you two." He grinned and replaced the card. "She's a 'Puff, like I told you, so I'm sure she'll have loads of good advice and things to say. And I think you two will really get along well."

"I guess." He nodded and the motion picked up enthusiasm. "Alright. I could manage that."

"Great. I'll send the owl today." There was a knock on the door. "Yeah?"

"Here, boys," Cedric's mother pushed into the room. "I brought you kids some fudge and tarts and there's still some cake left downstairs and here's some milk in a carafe along with a couple of cups."

"Thanks," Cedric laughed as they helped her set it all on top of his dresser.

"So what are you two getting up to?" She asked, brushing her hands off on her apron.

"I'm just telling him about my Christmas," Cedric grinned and winked at Draco. "And, you know, guy stuff."

"Well I'll leave you two alone, then," she smiled. "And you enjoy as much as you like, Draco, but Cedric, remember that dinner will be at seven."

"Of course, mum." He carefully shut the door again. "So, care to tell me about what you got?"

"Actually, I've been meaning to say something for a while. It's not a Christmas gift, exactly, but it looked important and I thought you might know something about it."

"Not a Christmas gift? Then where did you get it?"

"I know you might not believe me, but the centaurs in the forest. It was this bow that they said I should have. It was how I beat the basilisk. I think, anyway. I didn't have any arrows, but... the markings on it make it look like it used to belong to Helga Hufflepuff. Have you ever heard of anything like that?"

"A weapon belonging to Helga Hufflepuff? No. And it seems a little out of her character." He frowned. "But I could look into it, I guess. Do you still have it with you?"

"It's in my house. My father put it away so that Dumbledore wouldn't get it. You wouldn't tell him about this, would you?" Draco worried.

"Tell who? Dumbledore or your father? Or both?" He shook his head. "You don't have to worry. I'll keep it confident."

Draco nodded. "Thanks. It seemed like it was important but I can't figure out why they gave it to me."

"Did they say anything?"

"Firenze handed it to me and said something about his clan keeping it for a friend and something else about stars. But he didn't really go into detail and it didn't make much sense. And I don't know what I'm supposed to do with it or what I should do with it. I was hoping you could help."

"Hold on to it for now," Cedric said carefully. "I'll try to find out what I can. But I would keep it safe and I wouldn't tell too many people about it either. I mean, I'd like to see it given the chance, but otherwise it seems like if it's important, you should be sure it's secure."

"I already figured that. But why give it to me?"

"I'm not sure," Cedric said with a shrug and a grin. "Maybe you're more special than you know."

~*~

"I could really kill Lucius Malfoy," Sirius thundered and slammed the door on the way in.

"What's wrong now?" Remus, cup of tea in hand, poked his head out from around the corner. "Other than the usual."

"Draco did like he promised he would," Sirius muttered, throwing his cloak towards the coat rack, but missing so that it ended up in a pile. "He talked to his father about speaking out against Dolores Umbridge. And just as predicted his father turned him down flat."

"It was considerate of him to even bring it up," said Remus quietly. "We both knew he didn't have much of a chance of success."

"It was! And he doesn't deserve a father like that!" Sirius followed Remus into the kitchen, still storming as Remus poured him a cup without asking. "There are days I would like to bite through that man's throat just to get Draco away from him. He's going to break that boy's heart, you know." He dumped mounds of sugar into the tea before stirring. "Draco loves him and the day is going to come when he sees Lucius Malfoy for what he really is. Lucius is going to let him get hurt or get a friend killed and it's going to snap his heart in half."

"I think you're selling Draco short," Remus remarked. "He loves his father but he's not blind. He'll come to terms with it as he grows up, just like you did."

"I hope he has the sense to tell the old man where he can stick it and move away like I did too." Sirius slurped down his tea. "I feel cramped here. You want to go out for Christmas dinner?"

"You think that's wise?" Remus looked skeptical. "I know you wanted to keep a low profile."

"It's Christmas and who cares? All the reporters in the world won't keep me from celebrating. Get your coat Remus. Let's make this a night worth remembering."

"Why does that make me feel so nervous?" He sighed, but complying and getting his coat nonetheless.

~*~

A/N: Sorry for the delays. I feel like I've lost the spark a bit with this story and hoped some time away would help. Don't know if it has, but I haven't forgotten this story and I will try to finish it, one way or another.


	36. Cold Outside

Sirius swaggered all evening long, ordering expensive food and drinks that made Remus alternately pale and flush. He dropped Galleons carelessly, sang carols, and eyed waitresses, pausing only when he realized that Remus didn't seem to be having nearly the same amount of fun that he was.

"What's wrong?" He poured him a glass of spiced wine and pushed it towards him. "Lighten up Remus. Things haven't been going so well, but tonight's not the night for that."

"I don't see how you can be so calm," he said, sipping at the drink, "when there's so much to worry about."

"I'm worried too, but misery won't help." He sat back and grabbed the arm of a waiter, ordering a banana's foster and a flan.

They came out of the restaurant the better part of an hour later, thoroughly stuffed with drink and dessert. Sirius clutched Remus, eyes half glazed. He laughed at first, but lapsed into pensiveness as they walked the streets of London in the chilly night.

"You know what I wish, Rem?" He finally said, wavering as he walked.

"What's that, Sirius?" He asked trying to balance Sirius.

"I wish James were here. Damn it." He sucked in the cold winter air. "James would have done this right, wouldn't have been screwing up royal like I am. James would have known how to properly raise Harry and keep his friends safe and know what decisions to make."

"I wish James was here also, but you're being too hard on yourself." He pulled his coat closer. "I thought you wanted this to be a cheerful night, though."

Sirius stopped and slumped against a wall, looking at a lamp wound with holly and light. His breath puffed in little clouds and Remus looked at him apprehensively.

"Come along, let's go home. I think you've had a little much."

Sirius pulled away for a moment.

"Remus… I want to go see Reggie, Remus."

"What?"

"My brother. I never even saw him buried. I didn't go to the funeral. I didn't really mourn him. I didn't leave flowers on his grave. I don't even know what it looks like, only where it ought to be. I though he _got what he deserved_, for being soft, for listening to our parents without question instead of defying them like I did." He looked at Remus and the other man could see that Sirius' eyes were rimmed red. "And it's Christmas and I want to spend it with my brother."

They found the portion of the graveyard that only wizards had access to and, though it had been many years, Sirius was still able to recall the incantation needed to access the Black family vault. He did not pause to look at any of the many graves filling the magically enlarged space, kept focused until he found the newest one.

The coffin was marble, carved with a likeness of Regulus looking as though he slept, hands closed over a wand and, as Sirius discovered, a snitch, wings protruding from his folded gesture. Sirius' fingers ran over the face, smooth and eternally youthful. He wondered if it was as his body had appeared, frozen by the Kedavra curse.

"Reggie." He leaned over it and wept. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't protect you. That I couldn't convince you or save you in time. That I didn't remember you. But we did it Reggie. Kreacher and James' son and even me… we did what you wanted. Your last wish. So you can sleep now, alright? It's okay. You did your job and you can sleep now. And when we finish him off for good, I'll let you know then too."

Rising, he looked at the length of the tomb and his eyes were caught by a patch of red at the base that he had not seen before.

"Poinsettias?" He picked up the bunch of flowers, blooming like bloody leaves. "They're fresh. But who… Kreacher." His throat closed and he couldn't speak for a moment, not until Remus set a hand on his should. "He has been coming here all along."

"He was very faithful," Remus affirmed. "And loved your brother very much."

"I know." He repositioned the flowers so that they sat atop Regulus' stone hands, made it appear as though he were holding them like a bouquet. "He's a good elf."

He stood in front of the tomb a long time, until even Remus sat down against the stony floor. It seem like ages before he finally turned to leave, face damp in a way that Remus had only rarely seen, sadness written on his face as it had been with the loss of James and Lily.

They left and once outside, the door shut behind them, Sirius paused again. "I am glad that I came here. I only… I only wish I could know he heard me. That he has forgiven me for all I did not, could not do."

"I am sure of it," Remus murmured, before they disapparated together.

OOO

The sun was slipping beneath the horizon when Draco knocked at the door of the Weasley's.

"Draco!" Mrs. Weasley beamed. "Welcome back. Come in. Everybody else is about. But you must be starved! Here, we've got plenty of leftovers; let me fix you a plate."

"I ate pretty well at Cedric's," he told her, but when her face fell he coughed. "But I could stand to eat."

"Wonderful! We've still got turkey and potatoes, more of my fudge of course, green beans, anything you'd like."

"Thanks," he grinned as a heaping plate was pushed into his hands. "Is it alright if I go find the others?"

"Of course!" She waved him off. "Draco's back kids!" She shouted for all of them to hear.

"Draco!" Mr. Weasley popped in the door behind him. "I thought I saw you come up to the house! Good to see you."

"And you too, Mr. Weasley," he nodded politely.

"When you get the chance, you'll have to see what I've been working on. I think you'll really like it."

"And I think you really need to wipe your hands off before you sit down at the table and smear m good holiday table cloth with your oily hands." Mrs. Weasley dropped a towel on top of his hands then smiled at Draco. "Run along now dear."

"Hey Draco!" The twins rounded the corner.

"Thought I heard mom shouting something 'bout you being here," George grinned.

"Got enough food?" Fred added.

"If you want to talk back, you can carry his drink for him," Mrs. Weasley said, pushing a mug of cocoa into Fred's hands.

"Who else is here?" Draco asked, carefully balancing while they walked into the living room.

"Theo of course. Harry. That's all for now I think."

He walked in to see Theodore and Ginny looking down at a book. "Hi guys!"

"Oh, hey Draco." Ginny stood up and took the plate, setting it on the coffee table so that he could situate himself. "How did things at Cedric's go?"

"It was alright. Cedric was friendly and we talked through some stuff." He crammed his face with turkey and Theo frowned in displeasure when he continued to talk as he chewed. "Says that he doesn't know what the bow's about but that he could try and look into it." After puffing on the cocoa, he took a long slurp. "Also wants me to meet my cousin."

"Cousin? What cousin?"

"Turns out I'm not the only family member in Hufflepuff. My mum's got an estranged sister. She had a kid and as it turns out, Cedric knows her. Sent him a get well card asking to meet up and he thinks I should go with him."

"Are you going to?" Theo inquired.

"Of course! She's family, isn't she? I'd like to get to know her." He grimaced. "Although you guys probably shouldn't say anything about this to my dad or mom."

"Our lips are sealed," Harry promised.

"Yeah, even ours," George agreed.

"So what have you guys been up to?" Draco peered at the book, still sitting open further down the table. "Looks like you've been busy."

"George and I had to spend the whole day cleaning up toilets," Fred groaned.

"Well it was your prank. What did you expect?" Ginny's tone was faux-cross and George gave her a teasing punch to the shoulder.

"Now that we're done though, we should get back," Fred twitched his head towards the door. "We don't want a repeat of last time when we left stuff to boil for too long."

"Oh yeah." George jumped up. "Come on Fred."

"What are you working on?" Ginny asked as they dashed off.

"Stuff!" Was George's reply as they vanished up the stairs and the door slammed moments later.

"Ginny and I, we've been working on the journal." Theo sighed. "But I feel like were at the end of the line."

"We're trying to figure out whatever else… you know… that might have been made." Ginny cast a look at the door and lowered her voice, afraid her parents might appear. "But we can't think of anything right off that would fit the description."

"I mean, the sword does," Harry said in the same soft tone. "But I'm pretty sure that's not it. We touched it without any bad effects and if the Hat had it, I don't think Riddle could have put it there."

"Probably not," Draco agreed. "Can I see what you've got so far?"

They handed him the book, but before he read very far a loud voice broke into his thoughts with cheerful caroling.

"But Christmas is most fantastic in the afternooooon!"

"Luna!" he dropped the book and jumped up, nearly upsetting his plate in the process.

"Draco!" She turned to him with a smile bright as the lights that were strung in her hair, winking in different colors. Her dress looked as though it was made of nothing but tinsel woven with holly and of the stockings poking out from beneath it, one was striped like a candy cane and the other was a deep green with golden bows. Red trainers with glittery laces, covered with a hint of quickly melting snow, finished the off-kilter ensemble. She twinkled all over and smelled like peppermint when she ran over and hugged him.

"Merry Christmas!" He laughed and twirled her for half a turn.

"Merry Christmas!"

"Come on, everybody's here." He dragged her into the next room. "Luna's here!"

"We heard!" Ginny laughed. "How was your Christmas?"

"Wonderful! Father gave me all sorts of potion supplies and interesting books and promised to take me on a trip in the summer." She paused to take a piece of fudge off of Draco's plate. "But it's even better now that I'm here with everybody."

"That's sweet of you, Luna dear," said Mrs. Weasley from the doorway. "Here, I brought you your own plate."

"Thank you!" She took it gratefully. "I'm sure your turkey is even more delicious than broiled snorkacks."

The moment Mrs. Weasley was gone, Draco opened the book in front of Luna.

"Look at this," he whispered. "Everybody, let her in on what we've been working on."

"We didn't get the chance to tell you yet," Ginny said quietly, "but two nights ago we used the sword to destroy another of those objects, one that Kreacher knew about."

"Sirius' brother had gotten it away," Draco went on. "We put the venom in the sword and Sirius ended up using it to destroy it."

"What as it?"

"A locket owned by, we're assuming, Slytherin. It had an S on it, opened with parselmouth commands, don't know who else would have owned it," Harry explained.

"So we're thinking that maybe there might be other similar objects," Theo went on. "Significant items connected to Hogwarts that would have meant a lot to Riddle, given all the stock that he put into items like that and how deeply he felt about the school."

"I think it makes sense," Draco agreed. "We just need to figure out what else he might have used or who else he might have to killed to make those… to make what you said."

"A Slytherin locket?" Luna looked down at the pages that Theo and Ginny had scribbled, arrows wandering all over the page and various words underscored. There was a quill sticking out of the back that Luna calmly drew out. She flipped to a new page and scrawled a couple of words then handed it back to Draco.

"Ravenclaw's diadem?" He looked at her. "What's that?"

"I heard some of the older members of our house talking about it once. They said that Ravenclaw was always drawn with a beautiful tiara."

"That's how she looks on the chocolate frog cards," Harry concurred.

"It was right before a test. They said that the diadem was supposed to make the wearer smarter and that they wished they knew where it had gone."

"It disappeared?" Harry frowned. "That's suspicious. Maybe that's one of them."

"Yes, it vanished many, many years ago. There were whispers that her daughter had taken it but nobody knew where she had taken it to or what she had done with it."

"All the way back then? But if it disappeared so long ago, Riddle couldn't have been the one to steal it." Ginny said. "Do we know for sure there was one and that it wasn't just a rumor?"

"Does it sound like the kind of thing a Ravenclaw would make?" Draco asked.

"Well… yes. And come to think of it, I'm almost sure I've heard that rumor too. But the point still stands, if it disappeared that long ago, we can't blame Riddle for that."

"Unless he found it again and used it," Theo observed. "Nobody seemed to know about Slytherin's locket either, or at least it wasn't common knowledge. Yet he still managed to track it down and use it to make one. If there was anybody determined and intelligent enough to find a long gone artifact, it would be him."

"Well then how did he find it?" Ginny frowned. "If we could follow his steps maybe we could find it too."

"Or at least confirm whether it is or isn't one and whether he got his hands on it," Harry added.

"That I don't know." Theo shook his head. "But you said that you heard about it from some of the older Ravenclaws?"

"Yes," Luna confirmed. "Though I do not believe they were very sincere about their attempts to try and retrieve it."

"It was probably just talk, but sometimes that can reveal more than people know. Ask around you two, especially people whose families have been in Ravenclaw for a long while. They might know more details about it that could give us a clue."

"It's not a lot," Ginny sighed, "but we can try."

"Not a lot but it's the best we've got right now," Harry said in a serious tone. "So if we took out the Slytherin object, and we're pretty sure he didn't get the sword, and this crown is something he might have taken from Ravenclaw, then what about Hufflepuff?"

"First off, don't assume that just because the sword wasn't used, he didn't find some other Gryffindor artifact to use," Theo said. "But as for Hufflepuff, I'm not sure. The bow wasn't it, was it Draco?"

"Definitely not. Don't know what else could be, but I'll wait and see if I hear anything back from Cedric," he said in between finishing the last few bites of stuffing. "We'll probably see each other later this week. I'll know when he gets his owl back from my cousin."

"Alright, so we have a plan." Ginny took the book and closed it. "Now that we know what we're going to do, I think we can all relax for a bit, right? So how about some games or something?"

"No team chess, though," Draco stipulated. "That was a big mess the last time."

"Just because you're not good at it doesn't mean the rest of us wouldn't…"

"Or we could watch a movie!" Ginny interrupted. "My dad got us a TV as Christmas surprise. I'll get you could help him hook it up Draco and then we could watch something."

"Sure! Shouldn't be too hard."

"Okay, I'll go get dad."

Within half an hour, they were wrapped in blankets with more cocoa and cookies than they knew what to do with, settled down to a televised version of _A Christmas Carol_. Just as Alastair Sim was visited by Michael Horndern, Theo gave a little gasp, then whispered into Ginny's ear, prompting her to nod.

"What was that about?" Draco mouthed to him.

Theo shook his head and nodded at the screen. Draco went back to watching the movie and soon the incident slipped from his mind.

OOO

"It's late," Narcissa murmured.

"I'm sure they're with friends." Lucius joined his wife at the window.

"Do you know?" Her cheek twitched but he planted a kiss on it.

"Dobby just informed me. He went to double check on Draco."

"Oh."

"So don't worry." He stroked her hair and passed her a goblet. "Have some of the cider. It's still warm."

She sipped it and watched the snow swirl across the manor's massive lawn. Lucius slipped away for a moment. Then she heard the sound of a needle being set to a record and her hair stood on end as the first few notes drifted towards her.

_I really can't stay…_

"But baby, it's cold outside," Lucius sang along with the record.

_I've got to go 'way…_

Narcissa felt herself flush. "Lucius!" She gasped.

"I'll hold your hands, they're just like ice," he joined back in, taking the cup out of her hands and tugging her to the empty space. Gently, they twirled around the room, feet muted against the thick carpet.

"I remember the first time we danced to this," she murmured. "The year Draco gave this to us."

"And I remember what we did after." Lucius smirked.

"Stop that," she said, laughing as she did.

"Your eyes are like starlight now…" He crooned.

She laughed and they waltzed slowly, until the last few notes drifted away. Lucius moved swiftly to take the record off before it scratched, only to feel Narcissa pull at his sleeve.

"One more present," she whispered, and he followed eagerly where she led.


	37. History

Several days later, when the excitement of Christmas of nearly died down, an owl arrived at Draco's window as he was about to go downstairs for an early breakfast. Creeping down the hall softly so as not to wake his parents, he knocked on Harry's door.

"Hey Harry," he whispered. "Harry!"

"What?" He mumbled, rolling over without opening his eyes.

"Harry, I got a letter from Cedric."

"'s great… can I go back to sleep now?"

"He wants me to meet my cousin this afternoon, but," he said with a glance over his shoulder, "I don't want my parents to know. Do you think you can make up an excuse for me?"

"Yeah, yeah," he sighed and pulled the sheets over his head.

Draco looked down at his feet to see Sirius in dog form.

"Well at least you're with me. And know how to get up early. Sometimes anyway." He brushed his head. "Come on, let's go. We can explore London before meeting Cedric. Unless you'd rather hang out with Rem at your place?" Sirius barked. "Well alright then!"

They flooed to the Wizarding part of London first, tumbled out in to the Cauldron and did a brisk bit of shopping in Diagon Alley. It was still cold and icy enough that the streets were relatively deserted, the wave of shoppers returning gifts that 'weren't quite right' long gone by now. Most of the stores were pushing discounted Christmas wares and didn't have all that much to draw his attention, but he still lingered as so many of his age did in front of the brooms.

"I really should think about trying out for Quidditch next year. What do you think?" A couple of barks. "I know, I meant to this year. Everything got so busy, though, and I'm not really sure any slots on the team even opened up. Suppose I could ask Cedric about it though. He might have some advice on what I would be good at."

Eventually he found himself, as he normally did, inside of the Magical Menagerie. His parents normally bustled him out of there rather quickly – probably, he guessed, because they suspected that if he lingered too long, he would bring home something else. He smiled to himself; they were probably right about that. Since they were not there, though, he was free to browse at his leisure, even if he had to restrain himself from looking at prices and thinking about where he might stash a couple of fire crabs or a flock of half a dozen diricrawls.

Sirius whuffed alongside him, sniffing at each of the cages – or at least the ones that didn't appear to contain dangerous specimens. The only cage that neither of them lingered too long in front of was the one with the rats. For a moment, Draco trembled; it did not do to forget that Peter was out there, plotting his next move – whatever that might be. It was a dark spot of foreboding at an otherwise happier time, a reminder that even if they were slowly figuring out how Voldemort had survived all these years, he was surely up to something to with a servant at his beck and call.

His enthusiasm for animals suddenly waned and he walked out of the shop with a curt nod at the shopkeeper. It was nearly noon anyway, almost time to rendezvous with Cedric and his cousin. But as they moved towards the path out of Diagon Alley and into London proper, he looked down at Sirius.

"I'll find him again, I swear it. And when I do, he's a dead man."

Sirius halted, then paused and licked Draco's hand.

He could see the hurt in his eyes and understood it fully; he wanted Peter to die as well. But it horrified him to think that it would be at Draco's hand, afraid that even if it seemed the right course of action, the doing of it would still mark Draco.

Emerging into London proper drove away such ideas, however. The city was always bustling, at any time of the year or day, and Draco had to take a moment to get his bearings. His sense of direction was almost as good as the thestrals he loved to ride so much, but something about being in a city seemed to dull and throw him off.

Ultimately, he was slightly late in reaching his destination, and puffed as he hurried up to Cedric and a young woman sitting at the table.

"Draco!"

"Sorry I'm late, got a bit turned around."

"Quite alright." He turned and gestured to the girl. "Draco Malfoy, meet your cousin Tonks. Tonks – meet Draco Malfoy."

"So you're Cissy's little anklebiter," she grinned. "Haven't seen a picture of you since you were a baby." She shook his hand with a slightly manic enthusiasm.

"You saw a picture of me as a baby?"

"Yeah, only letter think mum ever got from her sister. Said that her desire to brag about you overcame her distate for the person the letter was going to."

"Oh." He felt embarrassed and didn't quite know where to go next.

"So Draco's a Hufflepuff!" Cedric interjected, pulling up a seat for him.

"I heard!" She laughed. "How'd that go over?"

"Better than I thought," he admitted, taking the menu Cedric offered and looking it over. "I thought they would be furious, but mostly they seemed worried. Especially mum. I think she believes that getting into Hufflepuff has ruined all my chances."

"Well that's silly." She sipped the tea the waiter had already brought her. "I'll have you know that I got through school just fine and I'm doing Auror training."

"You're an Auror? Really?" Draco's mouth hung slightly open.

"Impressive, right?" Cedric agreed. "So cheers to you Tonks," he said, lifting his own cup.

"Thanks," she laughed as they clinked, "but maybe you should save your congratulations for when it's actually official. Not sure I'm going to survive the training, especially since I have Mad-Eye as my trainer. That, and I'm super clumsy. Surprised I haven't managed to break this cup yet."

"She's exaggerating," Cedric grinned. "Besides, she's got other talents that would make up for being even the biggest bull in a china shop."

"What's that?"

"Can't show you here," she whispered, "but I'm a metamorphmagus. Means I can take on anybody's appearance, any time I like."

"Really?" Draco's eyebrows shot up. "So you can look like anybody you choose?"

She nodded. "Dead useful for wanting to be an Auror. I just have to make sure I can scrape by with everything else."

"So being a Hufflepuff didn't really hold you back at all."

She shook her head. "I'm proud of my house, just like Cedric is. And you should be too, no matter what your parents or anybody else might think."

"I know. I am. It's just that… sometimes I think my housemates don't even like me."

"He was getting some pretty rough treatment from some of the others in his year."

"Just one really. Zacharias Smith," he admitted. "He's convinced that I'm dark just because… I mean, I suppose his suspicions might not be entirely unfounded but still! It's just not… it isn't…"

"Fair?" Tonks finished for him. "Well forget him, Draco, and you'll be better off for it. His father's an arrogant arse too. Besides, according to Cedric you've got some pretty good friends to back you up. I hear your thick as thieves with the harry Potter, is that right?"

"Oh yeah, Harry and I, we're pals." He nodded.

"So what's he like?" Tonks whispered. "Everything The Prophet says he is?"

Draco grimaced. "Not that I read it, but probably not. He's fun. Likes to get into trouble like I do. Brave like a Gryffindor ought to be, but really loyal too. Mostly though, he's just a regular person," he said with a shrug. "I don't think all the fame or any of that surround him has really affected him. Though it makes things hard for him too sometimes. Makes him a target of gossip and sometimes worse."

"Worse?"

"I'm sure you heard about the whole Chamber business?" Cedric asked. "At one point they were pointing the finger at Harry. Draco too."

"Yeah, I heard some whispers. Dumbledore got temporarily sacked for that, didn't he?"

"By my father, no less," Draco whispered.

"So who was it?"

"It was… complicated." Draco looked away. "A friend of mine… there was a book…"

"Dark magic," Cedric added. "A mutual friend of Harry's and Draco's got possessed. "

"Does this mutual friend have a name?" She looked back and forth between them. "Or would it be rude to ask?"

The waiter came up before Draco could answer and they paused the conversation to give their orders. When they all turned back, Draco broke in before Tonks could continue.

"So what's my family like?" He flushed. "I'm sorry I've never met your mum and dad. I'd really like to though."

She shrugged. "Like you said, they're pretty average people. Well, apart from the fact that their nauseatingly in love." She rolled her eyes. "Can't leave them alone for two seconds and come back without catching them getting up to something. I swear, every surface of the house…"

"I guess our mothers aren't _so_ different then," Draco mused with a slight smile. "I can't tell you how many times I've come down for dinner to find her and my dad necking in the corner."

"Lucius?" She sputtered. "Necking?"

Draco flushed a little. "Well I don't see why it's that funny."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she waved. "It's just… wow. Lucius Malfoy. There's an image I never thought I'd have in my mind."

"He's not that bad!" Draco sighed. "He cares about me, he does! And my mum."

She nodded. "Look, I know our mother's had a falling out. But if he loves you, if you're sure he does… well, I guess they can't be all bad then, no matter what kind of a past they had. The other sister, though," she shuddered, "that's a different story all together."

"Aunt Bellatrix?" He whispered. "I know _of_ her, at least. But mum really doesn't like to talk about her much either."

"She's a certified crazy bitch," Tonks spat.

"Tonks!" Cedric hissed.

"Oh, I'm sure he's heard worse," she rolled her eyes. "And anyway, it's true. Completely nutters, that woman. It's probably the only reason she's still alive. Azkaban and the Dementors couldn't unhinge her or drive her to death because she was already messed up in the head before they got their hands on her."

"That bad?" Draco whispered.

"The worst. I don't know how much history you guys get to in school – knowing Binns, you're probably still mucking your way through the medieval Goblin Wars – but out of all the Death Eaters who got caught and went to prison, she was one of the absolute worst." She looked down as she took another bite. "Moody says that she was one of the most vicious people he'd ever seen, that she relished using the Cruciatus Curse." She paused for a moment and her upbeat nature grew morose. "It was what she used to torture the Longbottoms into madness."

"Madness?" He dropped his fork. "But I thought… I didn't know they were still alive."

"If you can call it that," she whispered, shaking her head. "Moody visited once in the ward at St. Mungo's. Said he didn't want to forget the sacrifice." She put down her sandwich. "Mother told me she was vicious even as a child, that she tormented her and even Narcissa, and that it only grew worse as they got older. Whatever difference might exist between our families, at least your mum is nowhere near as bad as Bella."

Draco shuddered. "She never had any kids, though, right?"

"Not to my knowledge." She picked up her sandwich again. "She was married, but I don't believe she ever cared for her husband. At least that's what Moody says. Besotted with You-Know-Who, he claims."

Draco made a face. "With him? That's revolting."

"I would agree, but like I said – she's completely mental." She shook her head. "But I don't want to spoil a nice day like today talking about Bella. Have you mom and dad been well at least?"

"Yeah, they're okay." He smiled weakly. "At least until the next time I get myself petrified or poisoned or in some other kind of trouble. Dad had to go halfway across the globe to find the mandrakes after that run in with the basilisk, and in the end I think they were more affected by it than I was."

"What was it like being Petrified?"

"Like a nap. A long nap with really weird dreams."

"You dreamt? I didn't at all," Cedric finally interjected. "I was outside of the greenhouses with you before I saw the eyes and everything went dark. And the next thing I knew I was awake in the infirmary with everybody else."

"Probably different for everybody," Tonks speculated. "I don't think there's a whole lot known about it, since a basilisk is much more likely to kill than petrify."

"We all got _very_ lucky," Draco nodded.

"So how's Professor Sprout doing these days?"

"Doing well." Draco grinned. "Although I think I drive her a little bit crazy."

"You and me both kid!" She laughed. "We really must be family." She wiped her mouth with a napkin and smiled. "Don't know how you got so responsible Cedric. Feel like I've failed in my duty."

"I say the same thing about Theo," Draco grinned. "But now that we're done," he dropped his voice, "do you think I could see you shift?"

"Of course!" She took the receipt. "My treat," she insisted, "and then we can head over."

Stopping at Florean's for dessert, she changed her nose into a snout, then a bill, then changed her whole face to look like Moody's.

"That's fantastic!" Draco laughed as her features settled back into their original form. "Does it run in families? Do you think I could become a metamorphmagus one day?"

"I think you're out of luck kid," she grimaced while taking a lick of a peppermint cone. "It usually shows up when you're young."

"Oh." He seemed slightly crestfallen.

"But you could always become an Animagus the traditional way."

Draco fought a grin as Sirius nudged his leg. "I suppose I could. Although it's a little disappointing to be limited to one animal instead of being able to change into whatever I like."

"Well, don't be _too_ disappointed. I really can't change into an animal, just switch a feature or two around. Overall I still look mostly human."

"That was more than enough to cause trouble, though," Cedric reminisced. "Remember that time Snape caught you impersonating him?"

She laughed. "I ended up scrubbing cauldrons for the better part of a month for that one! But the look on his face made it all worth it."

Draco snickered and even Sirius chimed in with a few barks.

But what about you, Ced? We've been talking each other's' ears off about our families, but I'd love to hear how you're doing too."

"Other than getting petrified? Not a whole lot. Quidditch, although the whole basilisk incident has probably thrown a wrench in that for the year."

"Don't say that, Ced! You're a fantastic Seeker and we're not that far behind."

"I'd have thought you'd be cheering for Harry," Cedric smirked.

"I do kind of wish you could both win. But, if it's got to be one or the other… I'd like to see our House get it," he blushed.

"Same here," Tonks nodded. "Build up the 'Puff reputation a little, show 'em how it's done. Have you ever thought about going pro?" She asked, picking bits of peppermint candy out of the ice cream.

"I don't know," he shrugged, working away at his egg nog ice cream. "It still seems like a really long way off."

"Or you could become an Auror like Tonks!" Draco enthusiastically suggested. "I mean, not that you couldn't do really well at Quidditch. But being an Auror…"

"I do want to be one, but don't believe the hype," she warned Draco. "Most of the time it's routine stuff, and the rest of the time… well, you don't really want there to be a rest of the time. It seems exciting, but sometimes I worry that I'm going to end up like Mad-Eye, with a face full of scars and a head full of nightmares."

"So why did you become an Auror?"

"With my talents, it seemed like an appropriate choice. And I…" She hesitated. "I mean, I don't want to make it seem like I'm picking on you. But knowing my family tree, I felt like I should, you know…"

"Make up for it?" He finished her sentence as she had done his.

"Yeah, that." She sighed. "Plus, something tells me we're going to need Aurors, you know? Everybody thinks Moody's going round the bend, but let me tell you, I've worked with him a while now and he's no slouch. And he thinks it's not over. That there's been a lull, but the battle is still going on."

Draco looked down at Sirius. "I don't think that's silly at all."

"Don't expect you would." She finished the last of her cone and gave him a long steady look. "I heard about what you two did at the end of last year, almost getting yourselves killed. Heard you saw him."

Draco and Cedric both paled a shade.

"Yeah," Cedric admitted. "We did."

"He's not gone," Draco whispered. "Everybody acts like he is, but he's not. And as long as there's something of him left, he's going to keep trying to get back to what he was."

Tonks made a face. "It's all well and good to joke about Binns, but sometimes I think we forget too quickly. Nobody wants to talk about the war most of the time; everybody just acts like they're glad it's over. They don't even want to consider the possibility that it might not be, not even a lot of the Aurors." She shook her head. "Sorry, rant over. I really don't mean to keep doing that."

"It's okay," Cedric reassured her. "You're worried. And I think you have a right to be. But we'll do our best to keep safe."

"You better!" She playfully punched him as they got up from the table. "You're not Gryffs, you know," she teased, "and I don't want to keep losing sleep over you."

Draco laughed with them, but with a quick look at Cedric, motioned them into one of the alleys.

"What's the matter Draco?" Cedric asked.

"Tonks, you said that Moody thinks something is up?"

She nodded. "Yeah. He's been real uneasy, especially with all of the commotion coming out of Hogwarts lately. Not to mention the fact that Peter Pettigrew is still at large."

Draco nodded. "Well, there's something that you should know about the basilisk incident. But you have to keep this a bit of a secret alright?"

"Sure," she nodded. "If you like. What's the matter?"

"My friends and I…" He looked around to be sure there was nobody else in the area. "Look, it's a long story," he whispered, "but we think that Voldemort has managed to survive by making Horcruxes."

Her eyes widened. "Plural? As in he made multiples?"

"The thing my friend got possessed by… that was one. And I can't say much about it now, but we found and destroyed a second."

"Draco!" Cedric gasped.

"We think he may have made as many as seven and we're trying to figure it all out but it's hard because we're kids and we can't… I mean, there's a lot of places we just can't go, questions we can't ask. So I was thinking that if you're in the Auror department, maybe you could check some things out."

She studied him for a moment and chewed on her lip.

"I think you and your friends need to meet Mad-Eye."

OOO

A/N: So have an update, in honor of Draco's birthday (slightly belatedly). And Tom Felton winning for best villain no less! I thought that was pretty fantastic, I have to say. :)


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